Rickey Henderson, former ALPB All-Star MVP, passes

Rickey Henderson, Major League Baseball’s all-time leader in stolen bases and runs scored and a former Atlantic League All-Star, passed away on Friday, December 20, at the age of 65.

During his 25-year MLB career, Henderson led the American League in stolen bases 12 times, was the 1990 American League MVP, and a 10-time All-Star who won two World Championships. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2009.

Henderson spent two seasons in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. After playing with the Boston Red Sox in 2002, Henderson joined the defending champion Newark Bears at the start of the 2003 season and hit .339 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs in 56 games. He was named to the All-Star team and earned All-Star MVP honors by going 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI double at age 44. Days later, Henderson’s contract was purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers and he returned to the Majors.

Henderson returned to the Newark Bears in 2004 and posted a .281 average with nine homers and 31 RBI in 91 games. Henderson’s final ALPB home run, on July 17, 2004, made him the league’s oldest player to homer at the age of 45 years, 6 months and 22 days. That record stood until Long Island’s Lew Ford homered in 2023 at the age of 47 years and 1 day.  Henderson’s final game in the ALPB came against the Somerset Patriots on September 17, 2004.