Rickey Loves Rickey

There's a lot of stuff going on in the sports world this weekend.  The rumor mill is swirling in baseball, there's a full slate of games, and football is right around the corner.

But what I'm looking forward to most is not even an event on a playing field.

Sunday in Cooperstown, the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will include the greatest lead-off hitter of all time, Rickey Henderson.  And if you don't believe that label, ask him... he'll tell you himself.  At least, we hope he will when he gets in front of the microphone.

You see, Rickey has a habit of loving himself publicly.  Loudly.  Often.  He's the man who ripped the base up and held it to the sky when he nabbed the stolen base record, as if he were the second coming.  He's the guy who proclaimed himself the greatest of all-time, even before sportswriters could pen those words themselves.  And he's the guy who seemingly would never retire, thinking a man in his40s could do what young pups in their 20s couldn't.

And, he's the guy who reportedly didn't remember being teammates with John Olerud while with the Mariners.  In Mets camp during spring training, he walked up to Olerud and said, as the story goes, "hey I used to play with a guy who wore a helmet out at first base too."

Rickey denies it - and wouldn't you if that got out? - but many others say it's true.

Anyway, Rickey's a riot.  And he's about to be a Hall of Fame inductee.  Can't wait to hear what he says next.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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Chase Parker believes in the East Coast bias, stretching triples into doubles, and considers Tommy Boy to be the greatest athlete of our generation.

Unless otherwise stated, no particular sexual orientation of anyone depicted is implied or should be presumed.

Comments

[Steve]

I've always loved this guy! He's a riot!