Tuesday, April 24 Updated: April 25, 5:57 PM ET Henderson's 2,062nd walk matches Ruth's record Associated Press |
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SAN DIEGO Rickey Henderson tied Babe Ruth's career record of 2,062 walks Tuesday night in San Diego's game against Philadelphia.
Henderson was held out of the starting lineup because he was hitting just .111.
Pinch-hitting for reliever David Lee in the sixth inning, Henderson worked the count full, fouled off a pitch and then walked on a 90 mph fastball from reliever Chris Brock.
Henderson, baseball's career steals leader, took off his helmet and pointed toward the stands. In a non-characteristic show of humility afterward, Henderson said he would rather the team had won. "It's a great record," Henderson said. "Being in a class with Babe Ruth is an outstanding achievement. I'm the type of guy that individual stats don't mean much if you're not winning ballgames, and in this situation we're not winning." Henderson had started four of the last five games in left field, but was struggling, in part because of the new high strike zone. He was hitting .200 after Friday night's game at Los Angeles, but then went 0-for-7 with one walk in the next three games.
Henderson, considered the greatest leadoff hitter in history, signed a minor league contract with the Padres with two weeks left in spring training and was called up on April 17, beginning his 23rd big league season.
Henderson, 42, has walked twice this year. He's also stolen one base, pushing his career total to 1,371.
He needs 67 runs to break Ty Cobb's record of 2,245, and 84 hits to become the 25th player in baseball history to reach 3,000.
Henderson also played with the Padres from 1996 until being traded to Anaheim on Aug. 13, 1997.
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