Cooperstown Welcomes Rice, Henderson_2095

Cooperstown Welcomes Rice, Henderson
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) - Jim Rice's icy glare thawed into a wide laugh. Brash, flamboyant Rickey Henderson was humbled by it all.
The former left fielders were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday onward with the late Joe Gordon, and Henderson, baseball's all-time leading base stealer, was briefly overcome before evoking some hearty smiles.
"My cruise as a player is complete," Henderson said. "I am now in the level of the greatest players of all time,ed hardy tattoos, and at this moment I am quite humbled."
Born in Chicago on Christmas Day 1958, Henderson migrated with his family to California when he was 7 years antique and became a three-sport star at Oakland Technical High School. Football was his forte and he received many scholarships. He was persuaded to corner them down for a shot at baseball.
"My nightmare was to play football as the Oakland Raiders," Henderson said. "But my mommy thought I would obtain ache playing football, so she chose baseball for me. I suspect moms do understand best."
Henderson led the AL in steals 12 times and holds the record for steals with 1,406, runs scored with 2,295, unintentional hikes with 2,129, and homers leading off a game with 81.
He said he owed much of that to a trick played by his former Babe Ruth coach, Hank Thompson.
"He tricked me into playing by coming to pick me up with a glazed donut and a glass of peppery chocolate," said Henderson, who played for nine groups during his 25-year career. "That was the course he would get me up and out of bed."
Henderson said a tall educate counselor who needed players for the baseball team invested even more spark.
"She would disburse me a quarter every time I would get a hit, when I would score or stole a bottom,sennheiser headphones," he said. "After my first 10 games, I had 30 hits, 25 runs scored and 33 steals. Not bad money for a kid."
"It doesn't matter that the shriek came 15 years later. What matters is that I got it."
-- Red Sox Hall of Fame outfielder Jim Rice Henderson was drafted along the Oakland Athletics on the fourth round in 1976 and made his major league debut with Oakland in late June 1979. It was a daytime Henderson said he would never forget.
"That was the most thrilling time of my life," Henderson said, remembering former As employer Charlie Finley. "Charlie, wherever you're at, and that donkey, I want to mention thank you for that opportunity."
When Finley hired Billy Martin as director in 1980, Henderson had the perfect partner in guilt. "Billyball" - the offensive aggression Martin relished - aided catapult Henderson to stardom.
Just the thought of that time forced Henderson to cease briefly in his speech when memorizing Martin, who was killed in a car break on Christmas 1989.
"Billy always got the most out of me," he said. "Billy, I miss you so many and I hope you were here today."
In 1980, Henderson became the 1st AL athlete to pilfer 100 alternatively extra bases in a unattached season with 100 to destroy Ty Cobb's record of 96 steals in 1915. Two years after he set the modern major ally disc for stolen bases with 130, breaking former Cardinals star Lou Brock's jot of 118.
While Henderson, now 50, was equitable the 44th player selected to the Hall in his first year of eligibility, Rice had to wait until his final year of eligibility to be selected.
"It doesn't matter that the call came 15 years later,dunks," Rice said. "What matters is that I got it.
"It's hard to understand. I am in awe to be in this elite enterprise and humbled to be approving this medal. I cannot consider of anywhere I'd rather be than to be right here, right immediately, with you and you," Rice said, pointing by the 50 Hall of Famers ashore stage behind him and then at the fans. "Thank you."
Playing at a time when aggressive numbers paled in approximation to the quondam 2 decades, the so-called steroid epoch, Rice batted .298 with 382 home runs and 1,451 RBI from 1974-89. He drove in 100 or more escapes scampers eight periods, batted over .300 seven times, and topped 200 kicks quadruple. And he's the merely player in major league history with at fewest 35 homers and 200 kicks in 3 continuous seasons (1977-79).
And he's known for a long time the cause he had to await so long.
"The medium constantly asked me approximately my players (teammates)," Rice, now 56,belstaff leathers, said. "I refused to be the media's mouthpiece. I came to Boston to play professional baseball, and that's what I did. And I did it well."
The day's maximum poignant moment came at the end of the approval speech given by Gordon's daughter, Judy. Gordon died in 1978 at age 63 and requested namely he no have a funeral.
"We think Cooperstown and the National Baseball Hall of Fame as his final asleep place, a place he'll be honored forever," Judy Gordon said, tears welling in her eyes.
Gordon obtained the 1942 AL MVP,mbt sport, blowing out Triple Crown medalist Ted Williams, and was one All-Star nine times in 11 seasons, guiding the league in helps four times and in double plays three times. Nicknamed "Flash" for of his quick feet, Gordon was the first AL second baseman to hit 20 home runs in a season - he did it seven times - and still holds the league mark for profession homers by a second baseman (246).
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This matter may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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