Former All Star outfielders Ricky Henderson and Jim Rice were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame recently along with former NY Yankees/Cleveland Indians great Joe Gordon. Henderson and Rice are iconic figures in 1970s and 1980s baseball, and although Henderson made the Hall on his first ballot and Rice was in his final year of eligibility there were few suggestions that the honor wasnt deserved by both men.

Only the 44th players to be elected in his first year of eligibility, Ricky Henderson retired as baseball’s all time leading base stealer. Henderson led the American League in steals 12 times and holds the record for steals with 1,406, runs scored with 2,295, unintentional walks with 2,129, and home runs leading off a game with 81. Henderson summed up his career with this classy statement:

“My journey as a player is complete. I am now in the class of the greatest players of all time, and at this moment I am very humbled.”

Hendersons greatest fame came as a member of the Oakland As, and he got somewhat emotional remembering his time with the late managerial legend Billy Martin who died in a car crash in 1999:

“Billy always got the most out of me. Billy, I miss you so much and I wish you were here today.”

The hard nose, blue collar Rice played most of his career as a member of the Boston Red Sox. The Sox recently retired his number, and he remains one of Beantown’s most beloved sports figures. In the induction ceremony, Rice spoke of what his election in his final year of eligibility meant:

“It doesn’t matter that the call came 15 years later. What matters is that I got it. It’s hard to comprehend. I am in awe to be in this elite company and humbled to be accepting this honor. I cannot think of anywhere I’d rather be than to be right here, right now, with you and you. Thank you.”

Rice batted .298 with 382 home runs and 1,451 runs batted in from 1974 to 1989. He drove in 100 runs or more eight times, batted over .300 seven times, and topped 200 hits four times.

The Veterans Committee tabbed Joe Gordon for Hall membership. Gordon, who died in 1978 was the American League MVP in 1942 beating out another ‘pretty fair’ ballplayer named Ted Williams and a nine time all star. He still holds the AL mark for career home runs by a second baseman with 246.

Ross Everett is a freelance sportswriter specializing in combat sports including boxing and MMA. He contributes UFC news to a number of online and broadcast media outlets. He is a frequent sports radio guest and UFC blog contributor. He’s currently working on a biography of pro wrestling announcer Gordon Solie.

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Category: Baseball Players• Tags used in this article: Baseball Hall Of Fame  Boston Red Sox  Jim Rice  Major League Baseball  Rickey Henderson 

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