Spring has begun and now that there is labor peace in baseball, fans and players alike are ready for the season to begin. Of course, that also includes reading any new or upcoming advance copies of baseball books and this biography of Rickey Henderson is one that many should look for when it is released in June. Here is my review of "Rickey"
Title/Author: “Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original” by Howard
Bryant
Rating: 5 of
5 stars (outstanding)
Review: Rickey Henderson was a one-of-a-kind baseball player. He set many major league records, such as
most stolen bases and most home runs to lead off a game. Those are just two of the many reasons, both
on and off the field, that made him one of most interesting people to play the
game and this biography of him by Howard Bryant is an excellent book on this
excellent and exciting man.
Bryant has written several books on the topic of race and sports,
including an excellent biography on Hank Aaron that discusses the topic and
this book is very similar. Bryant takes
a critical look at the topic as Henderson had to deal with it during his youth
in Oakland, his time in the minor leagues, and especially when he was a member
of the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. There are many eye-opening passages that deal
with race, especially in the chapters when Henderson wore the Yankee
pinstripes. Without being harsh, Bryant
does raise some legitimate criticism of the team and specifically owner George
Steinbrenner.
The criticism of Steinbrenner is in general terms and the difference
in treatment between the team’s white players and the Black players. In this specific case, that is clear not only
in the dealings with Henderson but also with Steinbrenner’s investigation of
Dave Winfield. This is just one example
of Bryant’s great writing on the topic, in which he casts a needed critical
look but without blanket generalizations.
Another good example is in Oakland during his second tour with the A’s when
Henderson, despite setting the record for stolen bases during that time, always
seemed to be in the shadow of a more prominent player. This could be either a teammate (Mark McGuire,
Jose Canseco) or an opponent (Nolan Ryan).
This isn’t to say the book is all about that topic. It is a very
good and complete look at Henderson’s life and baseball career. It also has lighter moments, especially when
talking about some of the legendary “Rickey being Rickey” stories, whether they
are embellishments, legends, or the absolute truth. These are especially enjoyable to read, such
as the story about talking to John Olerud when both were teammates in Seattle
when Rickey said that he had a teammate on the Mets who wore a batting helmet
in the field like the Mariners’ Olerud did.
That teammate – John Olerud.
The organization and structure are much like any standard sports
biography, but that is about all that is ordinary about this book. Readers who either enjoy sports biographies
or Bryant’s work will want to pick up this one.
While it would be a stretch to call it as unique as Rickey Henderson, it
is one that isn’t quite like other biographies – it is even better.
I wish to thank Mariner Books for providing a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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