http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/23/SP8118S521.DTL
(07-23) 20:12 PDT -- Rickey Henderson's place in baseball's "Bartlett's" is nearly as unassailable as his spot in its record books. Here's a sampling of Rickey being Rickey:
-- "I think when the other team sees Rickey on base, I'm already upsetting them."
-- "Billy (Martin) was the publisher of Billy Ball, and I was the author."
-- "The more closer to the ground (you are), the less pounding you take," on his head-first slide.
His ego
-- "Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today, I am the greatest of all-time," from on-field ceremony moments after breaking Brock's career stolen-base record.
-- "Muhammad Ali was my idol, and ... he said, 'I'm the greatest.' So I said, if I ever break the record, I want to say 'I'm the greatest' out of respect for Muhammad Ali. It had nothing to do with baseball."
-- In 1985, after being traded to the Yankees, Henderson was asked what it would be like to play on the same field as Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. "I don't care about them. ... It's Rickey time."
-- "I'm a walking record."
City mouse, country mouse
-- During his '80s stint with the Yankees, Henderson boasted he could see the "Entire State Building" from his condominium.
-- "Rickey don't like it when Rickey can't find Rickey's limo."
-- "Rickey got a big ranch. Rickey got a big bull. Rickey got horses. Rickey got chickens and everything. And Rickey got a 20-gallon hat."
Money man
-- When Henderson hadn't cashed a signing bonus check from the Yankees, front-office functionary Brian Cashman asked why. "I'm just waiting for the money market rates to go up," Rickey explained.
-- "If they're going to pay me like (Mike) Gallego, I'm going to play like Gallego," on negotiating with the A's in the early '90s.
-- "All I'm asking for is what I want."
The later years
-- "Kevin, this is Rickey, calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball," voice mail Henderson left for Padres GM Kevin Towers.
-- Another Towers favorite: In 1996, Henderson climbed aboard the Padres' team bus and headed toward the back. "You have tenure, sit wherever you want," someone said. Rickey set him straight: "Ten years? Rickey's been playing at least 16, 17 years."
-- Alex Rodriguez says that when they were on the Mariners in 2000, Henderson would return to the dugout after being called out and A-Rod would ask, "Rickey, was that a strike?" and Rickey would say, "Maybe, but not to Rickey."
-- After a Seattle strikeout, the next batter heard him say as he returned to the dugout, "Don't worry, Rickey, you're still the best."
-- "Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?"
Steroids
-- "They kept that s- a secret from me. I wish they had told me. My God, could you imagine Rickey on 'roids? Oh, baby, look out!"
Bedtime stories
-- "Do your stretching before you sleep. That way you wake up loose."
-- "I like to eat ice cream at night. I got to have something sweet before I go to sleep."
The end
-- "Let bye-byes be bye-byes," on settling a feud with Yankees manager Lou Piniella.
(07-23) 20:12 PDT -- Rickey Henderson's place in baseball's "Bartlett's" is nearly as unassailable as his spot in its record books. Here's a sampling of Rickey being Rickey:
-- "I think when the other team sees Rickey on base, I'm already upsetting them."
-- "Billy (Martin) was the publisher of Billy Ball, and I was the author."
-- "The more closer to the ground (you are), the less pounding you take," on his head-first slide.
His ego
-- "Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today, I am the greatest of all-time," from on-field ceremony moments after breaking Brock's career stolen-base record.
-- "Muhammad Ali was my idol, and ... he said, 'I'm the greatest.' So I said, if I ever break the record, I want to say 'I'm the greatest' out of respect for Muhammad Ali. It had nothing to do with baseball."
-- In 1985, after being traded to the Yankees, Henderson was asked what it would be like to play on the same field as Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. "I don't care about them. ... It's Rickey time."
-- "I'm a walking record."
City mouse, country mouse
-- During his '80s stint with the Yankees, Henderson boasted he could see the "Entire State Building" from his condominium.
-- "Rickey don't like it when Rickey can't find Rickey's limo."
-- "Rickey got a big ranch. Rickey got a big bull. Rickey got horses. Rickey got chickens and everything. And Rickey got a 20-gallon hat."
Money man
-- When Henderson hadn't cashed a signing bonus check from the Yankees, front-office functionary Brian Cashman asked why. "I'm just waiting for the money market rates to go up," Rickey explained.
-- "If they're going to pay me like (Mike) Gallego, I'm going to play like Gallego," on negotiating with the A's in the early '90s.
-- "All I'm asking for is what I want."
The later years
-- "Kevin, this is Rickey, calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball," voice mail Henderson left for Padres GM Kevin Towers.
-- Another Towers favorite: In 1996, Henderson climbed aboard the Padres' team bus and headed toward the back. "You have tenure, sit wherever you want," someone said. Rickey set him straight: "Ten years? Rickey's been playing at least 16, 17 years."
-- Alex Rodriguez says that when they were on the Mariners in 2000, Henderson would return to the dugout after being called out and A-Rod would ask, "Rickey, was that a strike?" and Rickey would say, "Maybe, but not to Rickey."
-- After a Seattle strikeout, the next batter heard him say as he returned to the dugout, "Don't worry, Rickey, you're still the best."
-- "Do I talk to myself? No, I just remind myself of what I'm trying to do. You know, I never answer myself so how can I be talking to myself?"
Steroids
-- "They kept that s- a secret from me. I wish they had told me. My God, could you imagine Rickey on 'roids? Oh, baby, look out!"
Bedtime stories
-- "Do your stretching before you sleep. That way you wake up loose."
-- "I like to eat ice cream at night. I got to have something sweet before I go to sleep."
The end
-- "Let bye-byes be bye-byes," on settling a feud with Yankees manager Lou Piniella.
