From the Favorites Box: Rickey Henderson, 1984 Topps #230

A series where I post some thoughts about favorite cards. Previous cards in the series are available here.

 

 

I always like it when trading card companies use a photograph that shows the player on the card doing what he does best. 

 

Enter Exhibit A.

 

 

In 1983, the year this photo was likely taken, Rickey Henderson piled up 108 stolen bases. (Unsurprisingly, that number was best in the majors.) Do you think one of those 108 swipes occurred shortly after that photo was taken? 

 

I think it's a good possibility. It almost looks like Rickey is taking a walking lead—sneakily—as the pitcher has perhaps zoned out or lost focus. But it's hard to imagine something like that happening to a pitcher at any point during the 1980s when a guy like Rickey, or Raines, or Coleman was on first base. Do you remember how exciting it was?

 

You'd watch those guys take a lead, and then expand it a little more. Then the pitcher would throw over to first to check that lead. Then that dance would happen again. And maybe again after that. But the whole time you'd be waiting on the edge of your seat for those speedsters to finally take off for second base. 

 

And how about that split-screen they'd put up during the broadcast, where the left side of your TV showed the pitcher, and the right side showed the runner on first base taking his lead?

 

There he goes!

 

Man, baseball was so fun back then. And Rickey Henderson, the Man of Steal, provided entertainment in more ways than one. Many consider him the greatest lead-off hitter of all time. 

 

Here's why:

 

He could lead off with a walk. (2,190 career walks: second-most of all time) 

He could lead off with a hit. (3,055 career hits: 27th all time)

He could even lead off with a home run. (81 career lead-off home runs: most of all time)

 

And if you think that's impressive, here's what happened on the basepaths after he led off the game:

 

Rickey Henderson is the all-time leader in runs scored (2,295), the all-time leader in stolen bases (1,406), and, interestingly, the all-time leader in times caught stealing (335). That's a career stolen base percentage of .8075.

 

He's also the all-time leader in stolen base attempts, with 1,741. Lou Brock is second with 1,245.

I guess you can't steal bases if you don't try, right? And at an 80% clip, I'll absolutely take those odds. Especially as a fan of the stolen base, and of risk/reward baseball.

And for giving millions of us fans an instant dose of excitement as soon as he led off first base, Rickey Henderson's 1984 Topps card #230 has a spot in my box of favorite cards. 

 

 

PS: If you'd like base stealing to make such a large comeback that network TV brings the split-screen back to baseball broadcasts, give me an "amen" in the comment section.