Every pitch Gorm Heimueller threw in the major leagues, Rickey Henderson had his back, positioned in the outfield behind him.
When news broke Saturday of the far-too-soon passing of the greatest base stealer the game has ever known — and likely will ever know — Heimueller was stunned, and saddened.
“I heard from a friend of Rickey’s, who had heard from (former MLB pitcher) Dave Stewart — this is a big blow for the baseball world, like Pete Rose a few months ago,” said Heimueller, who will be pitching coach again for the NightOwls again in 2025, the only pitching staff leader the West Coast League team has known since debuting at historic Serauxmen Stadium in 2022. This season will mark 49 years in the game for Heimueller, one of the most-respected people in all of baseball.
“I loved Rickey — but I loved everyone, I was in the big leagues. I got to play with Rickey and Joe Morgan, two Hall of Famers, it’s hard to believe they are both gone. Rickey looked like he was doing well and healthy. Very sad news.”
Henderson, who would’ve turned 66 on Christmas Day, passed away Friday, a surprise to everyone as he had appeared to be in good health. Initial reports indicated a bout of pneumonia claimed the Hall of Famer, who played with nine teams over 25 years and stole 1,406 bases. Canadian baseball fans will recall his short time with the Blue Jays in 1993, helping Toronto win its second consecutive World Series.
“The best part of playing with him was knowing I didn’t have to face him,” said Heimueller
To put it in perspective, Henderson stole 468 bases more than the guy second on the list, another Hall of Famer in Lou Brock. Henderson hit more leadoff home runs (81) than any other player, scored more runs (2,295), was an American League MVP and made 10 all-star games. It is doubtful if the runs, stolen bases and leadoff bombs records will ever be matched.
“I ran into Rickey in 2018 — he didn’t recognize me right away, but we had a good chat. It was good to see him,” said Heimueller. “My name can be one that is hard to forget, I guess. It was good to talk to him, he was working for the A’s then, helping with some of their guys in the minors.”
Heimueller, who pitched in 22 games for the Oakland A’s in the 1983 and 1984 seasons, 14 of them as a starting pitcher, saw Rickey’s dominance in green and gold technicolor — Henderson was one season removed from his record 130 swiped bags when he stole 108 bases in 1983, thanks in part to 103 walks and 150 hits (.414 on-base percentage). In 1983, he was caught just 19 times.
“The best part of playing with him was knowing I didn’t have to face him,” said Heimueller.
“My first game, he made a catch up against the wall — really good catch. People think of the stolen bases but look at all the home runs he hit. He was also unique as not many guys are right-handed hitters and then throw left-handed, very rare in the game. He was one of the more confident players I ever played with — and Rickey talked about Rickey, he had his ways about him that you never forget, that was the way he talked.
