White Cleat Beat
Fansided

Five of Rickey Henderson’s finest on-field moments

By Jennifer Rainwater

Mar 15, 2016; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; Oakland Athletics special instructor Rickey Henderson talks with fans prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2016; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; Oakland Athletics special instructor Rickey Henderson talks with fans prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Battle of the Bay

The 1989 World Series was the biggest thing to happen to Northern California, probably ever. The San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics were facing off on the game’s biggest stage and the energy in the Bay Area was electric.

Of course, the Bay Area was rocked even harder just prior to Game 3, when a 6.9 earthquake hit outside of San Francisco. Buildings and freeways were leveled and people lost their lives.

The entire thing was surreal and it had happened in the middle of what had been dubbed, “The Battle of the Bay.”

The odds of that happening were astronomical and as someone who lived through it to be able to tell you about it today, there aren’t many words that can truly describe both the joy and then devastation felt throughout the entire Bay Area.

The entire thing was surreal and it had happened in the middle of what had been dubbed, “The Battle of the Bay.”

Everything changed in an instant.

The World Series continued after an 11-day respite. The A’s who had already been up two games to nothing over the Giants, took Game 3 at the Giants’ Candlestick Park.

The following day, on a 2-0 pitch Rickey Henderson homered to lead-off the game for the visiting A’s.

The A’s went on to win the game and sweep the series against their cross bay rivals.

This homer is a testament to why Henderson is considered the best leadoff hitter of all-time.

He had a rare combination of speed and power along with the ability to see the ball. He rarely struck out.

Getting either a walk, a home run or a hit from your leadoff hitter is just about the best gift any team could get.

Pitchers had to pitch to him to try to get him out because putting him on base meant he would steal second but pitching to him was also dangerous because if you threw him strikes that could just as easily come back to bite you.