Flashback: Rickey Henderson sets single-season steals record
Rickey Henderson is arguably the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, and there's even less debate about his status as the majors' best basestealer.
On this date in 1982, Henderson broke Lou Brock's single-season record with his 119th steal. And Henderson wasn't content with simply setting the record; he stole a total of four bases that day in the Oakland A's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Worth noting: Henderson shattered the record with more than a month left in the season. He finished with 130 stolen bases in 1982 -- a mark that still stands.
Henderson, whose final season in the majors came in 2003, still ranks as the all-time leader with 1,406 stolen bases. His 81 leadoff homers and 2,295 runs scored also are the most in major-league history. One of the game's most entertaining characters, Henderson also holds the unofficial record for references to himself in the third person.
Those are just a few of the reasons that Henderson was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2009.
