Rickey truly unique

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – Rickey Henderson is happy to be in “Coopertown.” He said so Saturday afternoon during his opening remarks at a news conference here.

If anyone else mispronounced this town’s name a day before his induction into baseball’s Hall of Fame, he might hear a different reaction than a few chuckles.

But not with Rickey.

Everyone knows there’s no one like Rickey.

Just ask Rickey.

“I never talk in the third party,” he said Saturday, and, yes, he said third party instead of third person. “I think baseball picks something up and runs with it.”

Then he backtracked and said he spoke in third person sometimes only as a joke.

“Players got a big kick out of it,” he said. “You’re on the baseball field and you’ll say different things to keep everyone laughing, joking. That just stuck with me.”

Then he backtracked again, admitting he spoke in the third person during at-bats.

“When I was going to the plate, a pitcher might throw me a tough slider and I’ll step out of the batter’s box to remind myself I have to stay on that pitch,” he said. “One of the guys on the bench thought I was talking to myself, talking to the bat in the third party.

“But I never answered myself. I let the ball do the talking.”

Rickey is going into the Hall of Fame today because of the way he transformed the leadoff position. He finished his 25-year career with more stolen bases (1,406) and runs scored (2,295) than anyone who has played the game. He also compiled 3,055 hits and a career .401 on-base percentage.

But more than anything, he will forever be remembered for his quirky personality. There are so many stories out there about him that – get this – even Rickey has a favorite Rickey story.

Check, please

“My favorite story,” he said, “the one most people ask me about it, is me signing a contract with a million-dollar bonus and instead of going to the bank and cashing it, I took the million-dollar check and put it on the wall. So each and every day, I passed by that wall and it reminded myself, I am a millionaire.

“And it is true. I did put the check up for about a year.

“The A’s called me, they were trying to do their books and they were coming up short of a million dollars. So they called me and said, ‘In January, we gave you a million-dollar bonus. What did you do with that check? Did you cash it and put it in the bank?’ I said I put it on my wall. So they told me to go to the bank, cash it, get a copy of it and put the copy on the wall.”

Olerud’s hard hat

What about his favorite Rickey story that’s not true?

“It’s about John Olerud,” he said. “They always asked me if I knew why John Olerud wore a hard hat all the time. They got a kick thinking I played 20 years and didn’t know why he wore a hard hat.

“But when I’m on first base, I’m always talking to the first baseman. So eventually, I knew why John Olerud wore a hard hat. People use that over and over and over. So they got me and John together and they asked John if Rickey didn’t know why you wore a hard hat. John said that’s not true.”

Here’s how others here this weekend in Coopertown, errr … I mean, Cooperstown, remember Rickey:

Chatterbox

Eddie Murray, longtime opposing first baseman: “At first base, some guys talk to you and some guys don’t. He definitely was one of those guys who would talk at first base. ‘Rickey’s going to leave now.’ He would tell you he was going to go. It didn’t matter. There was nothing you could do.”

Rickey calling

Kevin Towers, Padres GM who acquired and traded Rickey: “Yes, it’s a true story he called and left a message saying, ‘This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey, and Rickey would like to come back and play in San Diego.’ That’s who he is. Around the cages, he was always talking in the third person. He’s unique, to say the least.

“He always had several aliases. Trying to keep up with his aliases was difficult, especially when you were trading him and the other team wanted him that night. So I had to have weekly updates on was he Cool Papa Bell or was he Ice-T or was he Richard Pryor. The people at the hotel front desk thought I was crazy asking for Cool Papa Bell.”

Third person

Paul Molitor, teammate on 1993 Blue Jays: “People have speculated that his speech will have a unique flavor with the way he likes to talk in the third person. In the clubhouse, he would say, ‘Rickey feel good today. Rickey’s going to have a good day.’ That was real. When Rickey was ready to play, you knew you were going to have a good chance to win.”

Greatest of all time

Lou Brock, former stolen-base king, was there when Rickey broke his record May 1, 1991. And he was only a few feet away when Rickey told the stadium: “Lou Brock was the symbol of great base stealing. But today, I’m the greatest of all time. Thank you.” Brock said he wasn’t offended.

“He was in an emotional moment at that point. I knew what he was trying to say. But somehow, it didn’t come out that way.”