"I was closest to Rickey Henderson" - 13x All-Star HOFer pays heartfelt tribute to MLB legend

Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. joins the baseball community to mourn the loss of Rickey Henderson following his death by pneumonia on Saturday. Henderson would have turned 66 this Christmas.

Upon learning the news of his death, 13-time All-Star Griffey Jr. released a statement which reads as follows.

"Yesterday was the hardest day for me, probably, in my professional career. For all the guys we've lost this year, Rickey meant more to me than anyone," Griffey Jr. said. "I was closest to Rickey. He was just so special to me. Rickey was my favorite player growing up. I looked up to him. And then I got to know him and got to play with him. He was like an uncle to me.

"Rickey took the time to get to know me when I was a young player. Not just as the son of a ballplayer, but as a person, as a peer. And he was really someone who looked out for me. He'd call. He'd check in on me. He'd talk to me about what was happening in my career and in my life. Rickey seemingly never had a bad day. You never knew if he was 4-for-4 or 0-for-4... he still had that smile. The Rickey smile. Every fan who ever showed up to watch Rickey play got the full Rickey experience.

"One of the great moments of my career was early on, maybe 1993, and we played a Turn Back the Clock game against the A's. Rickey and I shared a glove in center field. I'd drop my glove behind second base as I jogged off the field and Rickey would pick it up. Who does that? He was such a special person, as well as a special player. The amount of respect I had for him is impossible to overstate."

Rickey Henderson's lifelong friend pays tribute upon his death

On Saturday, the baseball community learned about the death of Rickey Henderson following a statement released by his wife, Pamela, who stated:

“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and heartfelt memories from family, friends, and fans. A legend on and off the field, Rickey was a devoted son, dad, friend, grandfather, brother, uncle, and a truly humble soul.

"Rickey lived his life with integrity, and his love for baseball was paramount. Now, Rickey is at peace with the Lord, cherishing the extraordinary moments and achievements he leaves behind.”

Dave Stewart, a former teammate of Rickey Henderson and a good friend, was shocked to learn the news of his death.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Stewart told USA Today. “I still can’t. I can’t wrap my heard around it. We’ve known each other practically our entire lives. That was my dude. It was a thrill of a lifetime to sit back and watch with that kind of ability. That talented. That once-in-a-lifetime thing. There will never be another player like him.”

Henderson, MLB's all-time steals leader and 10-time All-Star, is fondly known as "Man of Steal. " He is arguably MLB's best leadoff hitter. Henderson was last seen pitching a ceremonial pitch for the Oakland Athletics in 2024.

The club retired his jersey No. 24, which can also be found in Cooperstown, having been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.