I hate that my childhood heroes are dying…
6 Likes
RIP Ricky…helped my Jays win a world series. No one is ever breaking his stolen base record.
7 Likes
Guy said some unbelievably funny shit sometimes. I’m gonna have to go back and find some of those. What a base thief though. Best I’ve ever seen. RIP.
4 Likes
- Too Young.
Ricky was a young boy, he had a heart of stone. Lived 9-to-5 and he worked his fingers to the bone.
3 Likes
This a shock. Ricky was somethin’. He was a reason to watch and follow the Oakland As for a bit. One of a kind in many ways.
2 Likes
2 Likes
Was he ill?
or Alex Smith’s stolen valet record.
Ahem…
Ricky was my favorite ballplayer. My older brother taught me about him and I absolutely got more entertainment from him than anyone else.
Nobody was more fun and baseball lost a great one.
3 Likes
So when he broke Lou Brock’s stolen base record with 939, Lou was there. I don’t remember if it was Lou’s advice before then or at that point, he asked Ricky how his hand was. Ricky said no one ever asked him that before and wondered how Lou knew. He slid head first and would jam his fingers and pop his wrist at times and Lou told him if he was going to slide like that to put his batting glove in his hand so he got to the base with a closed fist and it would bounce off instead of jamming his fingers and wrist. Great advice for a guy who eventually stole over 50% more bases than Brock’s second place. Ricky got the feel of it and didn’t need the glove for long, just an unbelievable career. RIP brother, you were more than the real deal, you were THE deal.
5 Likes
4 days before his birthday. Ricky is a goat in mlb history.
1 Like
Great story @CasanovaJack1, Thanks for sharing!
2 Likes
I followed the A’s and Tigers. Dad was from Detroit and Des Moines had the IOWA Oaks, Triple A affiliate to the A’s. Saw a lot of really good baseball in those days, lots of stars on those teams.
2 Likes
I lived a couple doors down from Rickey for about 15 years. Last we talked our Tigers were playing his A’s in the ALCS. I was doing my evening walk around the block I pass his place as he’s waxing his Bentley. He sees my Tigers hat and barks - Hey Man, No Tigers Fans Allowed up here!
I respond - Rickey, I’m still pissed your A’s beat my Tigers in the 1972 ALCS! He says, well, before my time but I remember it.
Also told him I was also pissed at him for a doubleheader he played against our Tigers when against John Wockenfuss he stole base after base going on the first pitch! Lance got you a couple times in the first game, but not Wockenfuss! He laughed!
He was only 65 - too young.
7 Likes
One of the all time greats.
His colorful side distracted from just how amazing he was
Copied over from the Tigers thread-
140 steals at age 40+
120 steals in age 38+39 seasons
Thats more steals at age 38+ than these guys had in their careers- Hank Aaron, Tony Fernandez, Gary Sheffield, Harold Reynolds, Alan Trammell, Sammy Sosa, Joe Carter…
3000/2000 ONLY club member
81% steal success rate
Leadoff HR champ all time.
Last non steroid guy to pass 110 WAR (19TH all time, 11th position player)
Only RH hitter w 2000+ walks
It goes on and on
Inner circle HOF.
4 Likes
Just snagged this a couple hours after he passed.($140). Already went up 50%
Best 7 Ive seen in awhile. Surface to the right.middle is the downgrade, as centering, corners and edges are tight
2 Likes
RIP Ricky, you were unstoppable.
I hear you @Bols, sucks seeing these guys pass away.
1 Like
Apparently he passed away from pneumonia.
You know, before seeing this card, I always thought it was “Ricky”, not “Rickey”. I try to learn something insignificant every day.