Rickey Henderson and Billy Ball

[@meadbert]

A golden era of baseball!

[@johnnynephrite6147]

Ball players today are on a whole other level. Well, except Rickey Henderson, he's still way ahead of us.

[@stoneyj1a1]

My favorite player. This video is priceless. Great vintage ball.

[@mekrabj2901]

My mom took me to the Oakland Colosseum during the 80's to watch Ricky Henderson and Billy Ball. Great memories. Thank you ma. My mom was admitted to the hospital today with Pneumonia. Give her a happy thought please. Thank you.

[@johnmongani5223]

you have a great Mom. hope she gets well soon.

[@mekrabj2901]

John Mongani- Thank you very much, I appreciate ur reply.

[@mekrabj2901]

John Mongani- Thank you very much, I appreciate you're reply.

[@rogerestrada2928]

Mekrab J After a year, I hope your Mom gets better!

[@mekrabj2901]

@Woody Last Name Thanks @Woody, my mom made through, she's safe and healthy at home.

[@swaugertim]

rickey was the best leadoff hitter ever as well as best base stealer ever.

[@SDallstar]

TL swog .... ichiro?

[@swaugertim]

ichiro certainly ranks as one of the best leadoff hitters ever but he still pales in comparison to rickey. Henderson holds the record for most games with a leadoff homerun. all his other accomplishments speak for themselves.

[@kyokogodai-ir6hy]

Rickey was incredible, but better than Cobb? Lead off home run is a stat that really means nothing. Yes, he hit 82 of his 297 leading off (27%). But, why is that? Simply due to his seeing more fastballs, in the attempt to keep him off the bases in the first inning. He didn't hit more than 41 in any other inning. Also, those 1st inning HR were only 1 run HR. 1 run is important, but usually easy to overcome in baseball. Most prolific base stealer for sure. Best? Tim Raines was successful 85% of the time, while Rickey was successful 81%. Just throwing this stuff here for discussion.

[@vincentrobinson9645]

TL swog Hands down doesn’t even compare , thank you

[@vincentrobinson9645]

kyokogodai Why are you trying to minimize Henderson’s talents ? It wasn’t his fault the pitchers threw him more fast balls , therefore, he did what he had to do, not only taking advantage of his opportunities, but mind you- capitalizing on them... Is what made him the Superman of his era

[@snakewayforum]

My favorite player EVER. A freaking LEGEND!

[@JeffSayYes]

Greatest ballplayer of all time

[@damannoa]

I love Rickey. He was just a great player and my favorite. He is a legend and there will never be another player like him again. You will never see another player steal 100+ bases ever again.

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

With the new rules, I’d say it’s back on the table.

[@anthonyporras3762]

Nah he's the greatest player to ever play the game in any era,hands down,nobody will ever touch his records

[@ThekiBoran]

Probably not the greatest but he's somewhere between top 5 and top 10 players of all time, imo. 3055 hits, 1406 steals, .401 OBP, a record 2295 runs scored and had the most walks ever, 2190, until Barroid Bonds broke his record. 297 homers is stellar but with Ruth at 714 and Aaron at 755, Mays, Griffey and others the greatest ever needs those eye-popping power numbers. Let's not forget Babe Ruth's left arm. Ruth was one the best left-handed pitchers for the first 5 years of his career. Also those first 5 years was the dead ball era. Imagine if they juiced the ball in 1914, not 1920 and also imagine if Ruth was a full-time position player from 1914 on. He'd have 900 dingers.

[@SlipKid1975]

Great footage. This team started off 11-0 and I think 17-1. Billy Ball brought excitement back to Oakland for a few short years in the early 80's. Dwayne Murphy by the way was the perfect guy to hit behind Rickey.

[@stevegreedo5687]

Hee hee... Only Rickey could end up scoring from second on a bunt play. I miss that guy.

[@gogogogo769]

that happen no way

[@cheeseburger12]

You forgot Willie Mayes Hayes!

[@chrislong3938]

I remember Billy Ball like it was yesterday! It really brought back memories, hearing all the names on those teams not to mention hearing Crazy George and his drum!!! Oakland had one of the greatest outfields in history with Murphy, Henderson, and Armas!

[@stripervince1]

He was absolutely amazing. A walking triple. He changed the game, made the pitchers balk constantly and just upset the balance. He was a great leadoff hitter so you couldnt really pitch to him, and if you walked him, he was on 3rd 2 pitches later

[@slimj091]

Rickey's the best... Rickey's the best.

[@jessegonzalez7344]

Rest in peace Rickey. Run Rickey run into baseball Heaven. You are truly the greatest of All Time!🟩🟨

[@Athletics70]

We had A's season tickets in section 117. In this short video, we can hear the great A's PA Announcer, Roy Steele, and even Crazy George pounding his drum!

[@sabrinaphillips916]

Brian Last I forgot about Crazy George!! We were at tons of A’s games in the 80s, especially during the Billyball era. Thx for the memories!!

[@Jiltedin2007]

Rickey Henderson even had The Defending American League Champions, the Royals, skittish. This was Game 3 of the Western Division Series played at Oakland after the A’s won the first 2 games played at Royals Stadium in Kansas City back in the Strike Shortened Season of 1981. Seeing Henderson completely freak out these Royals was totally hilarious! Lol

[@rickploddingzombieproducti1530]

The greatest offensive weapon in baseball history.

[@zizwop]

Great clip, Ricky Henderson was the best, and you can totally hear Crazy George in the background. I still have an old A's program from a game with Rickey on the cover, leading off of first.

[@LarryRickenbacker]

Saw Norris beat the Rangers in that sweltering Summer of '80 (Norris won 22 games that year!). Texas' Al Oliver hit a single past Norris so hard it wasn't even rotating! Armas gunned Pat Putnam at home and Newman applied the tag in the game's most exciting play.

[@travismcdonald6576]

Rickey be Rickey!

[@RickeyWinsAgain]

GOAT

[@neal6473]

Rickey Henderson run like someone set him on a game slider on a baseball video game at a 100 percent.

[@randquadrozzi5850]

Thanks for clip.just got done watching a 2-1 game that took an unbearable 3:45 to play this reminded me what baseball used to be like before it became homerun,strikeout,walk and a lot of sloppy play.

[@pantera29palms]

Ricky’s philosophy: -get on base -get to the next base -move players already on base -rinse and repeat

[@jamesnorton7601]

What he said was ''Yeah, I pickup certain things'' but I ain't disclosing shit!

[@TheCanseco1]

AWESOME!! Thnks 4 posting.

[@KareemPilot]

Yeah he was awesome... Like Paul Blair with power and walks

[@rmartin7558]

Rickey already looked like he was pretty jacked, even back then.

[@Gama261275]

Q gran jugador q grandes epocas q años aquellos un inmortal rickey idolo de mi amigo y maestro del beisbol mario posadas

[@TheBatugan77]

el no speako spanisho.

[@mikeford7921]

wow what memories

[@patrickleitgeb]

2:21 If you listen closely you can hear Krazy George banging on his drum.

[@romanbarba6755]

I pick Ricky over Reggie all day long. Ricky Mr. Oakland and Mr. October in my book. Thank you Ricky for retiring a Oakland athletic.

[@UncleLance67]

Just one of the reasons I'm an A's fan. I'm from the SF Bay Area, I have respect for the Giants, but between the two I root for the A's.

[@GetBenched2010]

People got butthurt when Rickey said "I'm the greatest of all time." All that proved is that the truth hurts.

[@RoofDoctorsJoanne]

Henderson was the best at scoring runs

[@PAS024]

Small Ball (Billy Ball) is far more exciting than HomeRuns and the StrikeOuts that come with them. Rickey was the best.

[@jameshudson169]

0:40 yeah, he WAS still awfully young. i believe he's STILL playing somewhere. alberta semi pro league i think i heard.

[@airswoosh23]

weird to see Ricky with a number that isn't 24

[@johnmongani5223]

Rickey wore #35 with the A's his first 5 years in the Majors. Changed it when he was traded to New York in 1985.

[@jasonm921]

What a difference in philosophy in baseball today.

[@LarryRickenbacker]

Ahem, yes; I should've mentioned that. I also remember that Doc Medich was the Rangers' starter in that game. BTW, I enjoyed your original post in this video and you are dead right. Further, Guererro wasn't much of a defensive SS, but Oakland overacheived under Martin.

[@jameshudson169]

who are the anouncers? al michaels and jim palmer?

[@johnmongani5223]

correct.

[@jameshudson169]

@@johnmongani5223 palmer was still pitching in '81. why is it that he is anouncing? THIS is why you didn't win 300 games, jim!

[@johnmongani5223]

@@jameshudson169 because his team wasn't in the playoffs. Reggie Jackson did the same thing. Rick Barry in the NBA as well at that time.

[@jameshudson169]

@@johnmongani5223 yes, i was wondering about that. did they have an expanded playoffs in '81? the yankees were in the world series. so, in order for the royals AND the a's to be in the playoffs it would HAVE to be expanded.

[@johnmongani5223]

@@jameshudson169 yep in 1981 there was a baseball strike in the middle of the season, so the league decided to divide the season in half. Each team in the 4 divisions that were in first place before the strike would play the team in their division that won the second half in a best of 5 game series. A's won the first half in the AL west after starting the year 11-0 winning games in a lot of strange ways, bunting a lot, delayed steals and stealing of home plate. Billy Martin called those plays to compensate for the lack of hitting on the team and the style became known as Billy Ball. After the strike ended the Royals won the second half and had home field advantage going into the best of 5 game divisional playoff. A's won the first two games in KC behind great pitching and then completed the sweep in the next game in Oakland to advance to the ALCS. Yankees swept the A's in 3 straight and then lost to the Dodgers in the World Series.

[@mikegyro]

That was the greatest thing about Rickey, from a pitching standpoint, he could throw a no hitter and Rickey would score 3 runs and lose the game.

[@BraesBladesmyth]

My Dad and I watched both this and the NYY game. We sat in the boxes. He had just gotten a cataract surgery and it was his first live games in a long while.

[@showgatlic]

I love Rickey Henderson!!!!!! MAN OF STEAL!!!!!

[@MikeTampa]

That would be a Balk today...The pitcher didn't step toward first, he only half way went to first. Does a Balk count as a steal?

[@m.s.769]

I was going to make a case for Tim Raines but gave up. Ricky is the best.

[@Jiltedin2007]

Later in life, “Billy Ball” would become Money Ball thanks to one man named Billy Beane.

[@roccopagliari8828]

no balk?

[@bigjared8946]

Ricky didn't just break the record, he increased it by 50% over Lou Brock, who was a hell of a player.

[@al307antony2]

Shit. Major League 1989 got their ending from this

[@lemususc]

i can hear crazy george at 2:20 banging his drum in the background. I remember billyball

[@Trentberkeley86]

They should bring this uniform back

[@ryanroper8044]

Who’s here because of The Dollop?

[@OaklandAsTurtleFanLA]

D Murph?

[@wontons-hk]

i remembered the NCLS vs the bluejays.... bluejays had no chance.

[@ricob948]

They couldn't Stop Rickey he was to Fast and smart for them that's why he is in the Baseball Hall of Fame his stats make these two announcers sound like fools

[@patrickfarrell5615]

He was serious .

[@colonelrobertsjr.7882]

He made base stealing look so simple lol

[@dzanier]

The main reason Rickey loved playing for Billy so much was that Billy left him alone and let him do basically whatever he wanted. He knew how important Rickey was, so he coddled him. That's not right, and other players, especially on the Yankees, noticed. On the day in April of 1985, when Yogi Berra was fired and Billy was brought back for round number 4, almost the entire clubhouse was in tears over losing Yogi. They felt they had let him down and that the team would've turned it around; but George had no patience. Rickey was about the only guy openly smiling and happy, and that got him angry glares from just about everyone.

[@austindenotter913]

wa wa wa

[@TheBatugan77]

Sounds like bullshit, danny. You're full of shit, danny. 💩

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

And Rickey went on to have his best year with the Yankees and nearly powered them to the division title. Advantage Rickey.

[@MrBeyondbelief]

Before there was moneyball, there was BILLYBALL, Billy Martin, NOT Billy Beane. GO A's! 1981 was the year I became an A's fan!!

[@TELEthruVOXx]

Hail to the thief.

[@jgrullon32]

You mean man of steel

[@TheFragranceDressier]

Dude built like a Rock Muscular

[@CP-kb1du]

Rickey wearing #35 does not look the same as the 24 Brock and Lou can watch

[@edantes2339]

rickey henderson was better at football..drafted by al davis back in 1979, but choose baseball

[@gogogogo769]

better to become a legend then an average NFL player

[@tubemaniac206]

how can u say he was better at baseball? two different sports.

[@j5muscle]

Wtf

[@ronnierebhan229]

150 stolen bases in a season, simply amazing!

[@johnmongani5223]

it was 130 in 1982 which is definitely amazing. And the way stolen bases have disappeared from the game that and all of his other stolen base records will never be broken.

[@dzanier]

Among many of the reasons Billy didn't last too long anywhere.

[@adamwesley2985]

What a dumb comment.

[@braves5696]

he got picked off on a balk

[@aureliacastillo2542]

Olgas lagrimas de cocodrilo

[@chade1983]

Wow, sloppy baseball exploited completely by one of the greatest to ever play the game.

[@danethomas480]

Gaius Caligula t

[@korkz808]

everything isn't always perfect, people make errors. You probably play sloppy baseball more than those guys did

[@anthonycalavito8076]

willie mays aikens was huge he could barley move

[@mikeandsheriprice3635]

Rickey may be 🐐 but Dwayne Murphy sure contributed to his stolen base total!

[@johnmongani5223]

yep. Murph had a great eye, drew a lot of walks and took a lot of pitches so Rickey could steal.

[@sxp195]

Billy Ball > Billy Beane

[@jaimeramirez4766]

Greater than?

[@btdbattlers783]

Base theif

[@julianwilson5607]

Is it me or was that BP pitching like pre game,lol