Comments on: Rickey Henderson day

By: Bee Hylinski

Bee Hylinski — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:48:50 +0000

I felt so lucky to be present when Rickey’s number 24 was retired. It completed my Rickey week, as I had just returned from attending his Hall of Fame induction. Saturday nights ceremony was a perfect bookend to my experiences with Rickey.

I was also sitting just off third base when he stole #939, as well as many other Rickey events: leadoff homers, snatch catches, causing havoc on the base paths, etc. I remember being in the stands the first game he played after he came back from the Yankees. The crowd gave him a standing O for our hometown kid who had made it big in the majors and was once again home.

Saturday night was perfect, and so uncharacteristic for the pinch-penny A’s–they pulled out all the stops to honor our hero. The electricity was palpable in the stands. We were one big happy family cheering for one of our own. It was awesome!

As for Bob’s comment about Sweeney not swinging on the 3rd strike that ended the game, I couldn’t agree more. He watched two strikes go by with his bat on his shoulder. I thought: okay, now he has to swing. But he didn’t. I hope Geren or Jim Skaalen gave him a talking to. Even if the pitch was a ball, he had to swing. It’s a no brainer.

This isn’t the first time that Sweeney looked like he wasn’t concentrating on the game. We all remember when he didn’t hustle down to first on a fly ball. That got him a tongue lashing and a stint riding the pine for a couple of days. I don’t know if there were any consequences for not swinging, but there should have been.

By: Marc

Marc — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:14:42 +0000

Bob, while I share your frustration, I haven’t always agreed with all your points. This one, however, is a match. Swing the bleeping bat!

By: Liz

Liz — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:22:37 +0000

My family and I are very proud of Rickey Henderson. Many years ago when he just started with the A’s his cousin lived across the street from my late grandparents. Unknowningly my grandmother took some homemade tamales to share with her neighbor who later told my her that her young cousin truly enoyed the tamales. So my grandmother prepared more and gave them to her neighbor. Unknowing, a young man came to her door to thank her and my grandfather. My grandather was surprised to notice that it none other than Rickey Henderson who took the time to come by and just say thank you. My grandparents always remembered that day on how this young man took the time from his own busy schedule to just stop by to say “thank you.”
So thank you Rickey for the making it a difference.

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:21:40 +0000

Looking at a called third strike with the tying run on 3rd to end the game – NICE!

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:43:04 +0000

Holiday hit 2 home runs today. Cardinals got a steal from the A’s.

Beane should have got much much more for that player. And more for Cabrera too.

By: vincent r johnson

vincent r johnson — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 02:17:58 +0000

rickey henderson is awesome,and deserves to be in cooperstown. great idea to retire his number 24.