Remembering Rickey Henderson with Howard Bryant

ESPN Daily

ESPN

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4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 23 January 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced its latest class of enshrinees on Tuesday evening. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Billy Wagner, will join Dick Allen and Dave Parker in the MLB Hall of Fame Class of 2024. But as those stars are enshrined in Cooperstown, we remember a baseball legend we lost recently. RIcky Henderson passed away on December 20th, at 65 years of age, just days before his 66th birthday. The game’s greatest lead off hitter, base stealer, and as the inventor of swagger, Rickey’s impact can still be felt now. So today we are joined by Howard Bryant - The author of Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original, who breaks down Ricky’s career, legacy, and impact on the game he changed forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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0:00.0	Howard Bryant, my friend, I have been away from this podcast for a while for the birth of my son,
0:06.6	but one of the biggest stories that happened while I was on what we call family bonding time
0:11.8	was the passing of Ricky Henderson.
0:15.9	But the impact of getting on base, advancing to the next base, and eventually crossing home plate
0:20.7	is as significant as it is timeless.
0:23.4	And so, too, are the career achievements of Ricky Henderson.
0:27.1	It happened on Friday, December 20th. He was only 65.
0:31.6	I knew this was a story I wanted to discuss as soon as I got back.
0:35.7	I want to thank you for joining us today to talk about
0:38.2	him. You've written a book about this man. What were your first thoughts when you learned that
0:43.6	Ricky had passed? I mean, obviously, what do you say? I remember last month very, very clearly.
0:50.5	I think I got a phone call around 5.36 p.m. from an extremely reliable source saying,
0:57.9	don't say a word to anybody, Ricky passed.
1:00.7	The game's all-time leader and bases stolen and runs scored passed away on Friday.
1:05.8	His talents on the diamond, the stuff of legend.
1:08.4	Five days before his birthday, which was Christmas Day, so five days before his 66th birthday.
1:13.8	And Ricky was one of those guys that you thought was going to be indestructible, was going to live
1:17.2	forever.
1:17.8	I love the game of baseball.
1:20.9	That's why it was so hard for me to walk away from the game.
1:25.7	I thought if Sarty Page can start playing Major League Baseball
1:30.5	at the age of 45. Then with my dedication, hard work, and desire, I can play the game,
	...

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