Best 50 quotes of Rickey Henderson on MyQuotes

A good friend of mine took me out and had me hit off a tee. He made me understand what was my strike zone and - with my speed - the importance of making contact. So I give him a lot of credit for changing my game and making me the player I became. He showed me how to work on me and my game, and not worry about patterning myself after someone else and focusing on what they were capable of doing rather than what I was capable of doing.

All I'm asking for is what I want.

Certain guys, they can see a guy do a certain thing with their glove and know what pitch is coming. I couldn't do that. But I can get on first base and I can tell you by his move if that pitcher is going to first base or home plate every time.

Even the slowest guy can go from first to third and help win a ballgame.

I can still steal a base anytime I get ready.

I don't think I could have dreamt it up any better than how things went, of being at my peak at just the right time, and have everything go my way.

I don't think I ever got proper credit about being smart about the game.

I don't think some of the players understand what the people are about. The people are coming out to show you their appreciation of the game, and the player that you are.

I don't want to be one of those great players who never made it to the (World) Series.

If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game.

If they're going to pay me like [Mike] Gallego, I'm going to play like Gallego.

If you look at some of the people in the Hall of Fame, my numbers are compatible.

I have always had fun playing the game of baseball because I loved it so much.

I haven't had the time to say, 'I'm retiring.' But baseball says, 'You're retired.'

I have to play baseball to make me happy. I have to be an athlete. But when it's all said and done, I'll be a normal father. A normal-type house man.

I like playing for Oakland, they have a very colorful uniform.

I'm a walking record.

In baseball you train the whole body, except for the hip and eyes.

I patterned myself after Reggie Jackson. I wanted to have that same swing and hit some homeruns. When I was down in A-ball, I was trying to be Reggie Jackson and I was striking out all the time. And I was like, 'This isn't the way Reggie is doing it, so I got to change.'

It gave me no chance. He (Nolan Ryan) just blew it (strikeout #5,000) by me. But its an honor. I'll have another paragraph in all the baseball books. I'm already in the books three or four times.

I told myself that if I ever make it to the big leagues that I would be the one to appreciate the fans. Take a little time out to sign autographs and shake their hands and say hello to them.

It's always exciting that you can rub elbows with some of the greatest players who have ever played the game, and just being around the "family" again from baseball.

I wanted to be a part of something special and contributing to the launch of a new league was very exciting to me.

I was stealing all the bases, and when you had to go to arbitration they said, 'You know, only the big boys make the money.' So I got to try and figure out how to hit a home run, too.

Just because I believed in what I was doing on the field and dedicated myself to playing the game, does that mean I'm cocky? Does that mean I'm arrogant?

Let's see, for breakfast Rickey will have bacon and eggs, and grits if I can get 'em.

Listen: People are always saying, 'Rickey says Rickey.' But it's been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I'm ticked off, saying, 'Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?' They say, 'Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don't you just say, 'I?' But I never did. I always said, 'Rickey,' and it become something for people to joke about.

Lou Brock was a great base stealer but today I am the greatest.

My dream was to play football for the Oakland Raiders. But my mother thought I would get hurt playing football, so she chose baseball for me. I guess moms do know best.

My impact on the game was going out there and making things happen.

My journey as a player is complete.

Nothing's impossible for Rickey. You don't have enough fingers and toes to count out Rickey.

Oakland is home, and you always want to go home. Anytime you get the chance, you're happy to go home.

People always ask me why I still want to play, but I want to know why no one will give me an opportunity. It's like they put a stamp on me: 'Hall of Fame. You're done. That's it.' It's a goddamn shame.

People say I stole a lot of bases. I stole the bases for a reason. I crossed the plate.

Rickey got a big ranch. Rickey got a big bull. Rickey got horses. Rickey got chickens and everything. And Rickey got a 20-gallon hat.

Rickey was never motivated by stats. He was motivated by numbers. Wins, runs, steals.

Somehow, I've been blessed to be able to have the young spirit inside - not feel like every year I get a year older. I feel like every year I get a year younger. I don't wake up in the morning with aches and pains.

Speeches and me don't get along sometimes. It is kind of like putting a tie too tight on my neck. I'm going to do whatever feels right.

The only name on my birth certificate was Henley, no first name.

The only thing I wish I could figure out is how I got misunderstood regarding the type of person I really am and what I accomplished.

This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.

To all the kids out there: Follow your dream. Believe in your dream. Because dreams do come true.

Today I am the greatest of all time.

Well, Rickey's not one of them, so that's 49 percent right there.

When I was a little-leaguer, I was sort of famous for stealing bases - and it started only because my mom wanted to be sure where I was in the afternoons. Mom always used to say, "If you don't come home dirty, you didn't play a baseball game." So I always tried to get in a situation where I had to slide so that I could go home dirty.

When I was growing up, my favorite player was Reggie Jackson - and I never got the opportunity to get an autograph from Reggie. I was so frustrated. I mean, he was my idol. And I couldn't get no autograph. I would go through punishment waiting on him (after games) because he was always the last guy to come out. And I would go back home with no autograph.

When you're a kid, you want to be a millionaire.

You have to keep running. I always believed I was going to be safe.

You never had the opportunity to play with some of the great ballplayers, but being that close around them, and being in the same category, was a great feeling, to feel that vibe of all the best players who played the game.