Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 11, 1991 TAG: 9104110271
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: HARVEY ARATON THE NEW YORK TIMES
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The symbolism of the trademark Henderson arrival into a stolen base is inescapable. Henderson, from the time he walked into the Oakland Athletics' clubhouse as a rookie in 1979, has led with his mouth.
Years ago, still wearing his major-league diapers, he promised to break Brock's season stolen base record of 118. In 1982 he did, with 130. Base No. 119 was barely off the ground and into a trophy case when Henderson set his sights on Brock's mark of 938 for his career.
Now, here he is, one base shy of Brock's record with 161 games to complete the job. He began Tuesday night by stealing one base in the Athletics' home opener against the Minnesota Twins.
Blink, and you'll risk missing the historic moment. Henderson works fast. It took him less than 12 full seasons to pass the American League record of 871 steals that Ty Cobb accumulated over 22 seasons. Brock played 18 seasons. The record long a foregone conclusion, Henderson is looking well beyond.
"You hope nobody will ever catch you," he said recently at the Athletics' training camp in Phoenix. "You don't know what'll happen in the future, but you try to put it out of reach, so that you can always remember that it's my record, that it will stand."
Cobb's season record of 96, set in 1915, stood for 47 years until Maury Wills passed it; his career mark held for 48. Cobb had the cooperation of the sport, which for three decades worshiped one offensive god, the home run.
Wills is generally credited with reintroducing the steal as a fearsome weapon. By the time he was handing the baton to Brock as the game's pre-eminent runner, artificial-turf fields were appearing and the pace of the game was quickening. A leadoff walk today to someone like Henderson is the next best thing to hitting the ball 450 feet.
"Base stealing is a grueling, punishing business," said Wills, who stole 104 bases in 1962, breaking Cobb's record of 96. "I have the scars to prove it."
The record won't necessarily guarantee Henderson exclusive rights to being considered the greatest base stealer. Some people, for instance, might argue that Vince Coleman, not yet 30 but already with 549 steals, is as explosive a base stealer as Henderson, although he lacks the skills to create enough opportunities to ever catch him.
Henderson is a career .293 hitter, with an on-base percentage of .405, second to Wade Boggs' .440 among active players. Of the best active base stealers, only Raines, whose career base-stealing percentage of 85 percent is three points higher than Henderson's, has comparable offensive skills.
The first time Henderson broke a Brock record was on a steamy, August night in 1982 in Milwaukee's County Stadium. Brock graciously flew into town and lowered himself into a box seat. When Henderson stole his 119th base, Brock walked onto the field and handed Henderson the base.
Before Brock left the park that night, Henderson stole another base, and after Brock was gone, he stole two more. He has not stopped running since, and he shows no visible signs of slowing down.
by CNB