Family, Friends, Fans Gather to Celebrate A's Legend Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson was known as the "Man of Steal" for his prowess swiping bags during his incredible 25-year career. For the people of Oakland, he was much more than the flashy moniker. He was a representation of themselves. He was Oakland baseball. On Saturday afternoon, a crowd of family, friends, and fans gathered to say goodbye and celebrate the life of Rickey.

Thousands gathered for the event, which brought out some of the best of the best across sports. Seattle Mariners Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., Oakland native and NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton, former teammate and MLB Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, all shared stories, as did native Dave Stewart. There were a number of former teammates from the 1989 World Series team, as well as legendary managers Joe Torre and Tony La Russa.

The message from every speaker hit a similar note: Rickey was a one of one. He was truly himself, and it was Rickey that changed the times, not the the other way around.

Former San Francisco Giants PA announcer Renel Brooks-Moon was one of three MCs for the occasion along with Bip Roberts and Shooty Babbitt. Brooks-Moon said it best when speaking of the flair that Rickey played with.

"Rickey played with swagger before swagger was even a thing. He was like a one-man show."
Renel Brooks-Moon

In one of the video tributes played, Rickey was giving a speech to the fans in Oakland, and he asked them to chant, "run Rickey run" one last time. The fans in attendance on Saturday began the chant anew in one of the more special moments of the afternoon.

Hearing Rickey ask the fans to chant "run Rickey run" was very similar to when A's manager Mark Kotsay took to the microphone after the team's final game in Oakland on September 26. Kotsay asked the fans to do the best chant in baseball, and they met him with a "Let's Go Oak-land."

Rickey's friend since they were eight years old, Fred Atkins, who went to Oakland Tech and was drafted by the New York Yankees, said that as kids they would run around Bushrod, looking for a place to play baseball, since there were games going constantly, but they didn't know anybody.

"50 years later he had his own Major League Baseball field named after him."
Fred Atkins

Saturday was an event of celebration, of jokes, and of joy, all remembering the man that played baseball with such joy that even after he retired from MLB at the age of 44, he went on to play two more seasons of Independent ball with the Newark Bears and the San Diego Surf Dawgs.

You can look at the records that he set, the influence that he had on those that saw him play, and all of the accolades that he collected over the course of his time on a baseball field. But on Saturday, it was more about the impact he had on people's lives, from family to friends, to co-workers.

Everyone loved Rickey, and everyone is going to miss Rickey.