MLB
Scores
Schedule
Pitching Probables
Standings
Statistics
Players
Transactions
Injuries: AL | NL
Minor Leagues
MLB en espanol
Message Board
CLUBHOUSE


FEATURES
News Wire
Daily Glance
Power Alley
History
MLB Insider


THE ROSTER
Jim Caple
Peter Gammons
Rob Neyer
John Sickels
Jayson Stark
ESPN MALL
TeamStore
ESPN Auctions
SPORT SECTIONS
Wednesday, April 25
Updated: April 26, 5:08 PM ET
 
Henderson now steals and walks leader

Associated Press

SAN DIEGO – Rickey Henderson set the major league walks record at 2,063 Wednesday night, taking sole possession of the mark he had shared for a day with Babe Ruth.

Move over, Babe
Top 10 all-time walks leaders:
Player ABs Walks
Rickey Henderson 10,353 2,063
Babe Ruth 8,399 2,062
Ted Williams 7,706 2,019
Joe Morgan 9,277 1,865
Carl Yastrzemski 11,988 1,845
Mickey Mantle 8,102 1,733
Mel Ott 9,456 1,708
Eddie Yost 7,346 1,614
Darrell Evans 8,973 1,605
Stan Musial 10,972 1,599

Henderson walked on a 3-1 pitch from Philadelphia Phillies reliever Jose Mesa leading off the ninth. Henderson tossed his bat aside and jogged to first. He shook hands with first base coach Alan Trammell and acknowledged the standing ovation from what remained of the crowd of 12,573, blowing kisses.

The Phillies won the game 5-3.

"The record is outstanding," Henderson said. "It's great to be in a class with Babe Ruth and all that good stuff, but I'm the type of person that wants to win."

"I still feel great about breaking this record by one of the greatest ballplayers who ever played this game."

Henderson, the career steals leader with 1,371, was then erased trying to take second.

"It's quite a milestone," manager Bruce Bochy said. "You're talking about history. I don't know if that will ever be broken. I'm proud for Rickey.

"It was great getting the leadoff hitter on that inning. But then we fell short."

Henderson was 10-for-24 lifetime against Mesa coming in, with 10 walks.

The record walk "came at a time we needed to get on," Henderson said. "You get up there and you're trying to work your way on the base, no matter which way you go, a walk or a hit."

"When they bring in their stopper out of the bullpen, you've got to go up there and be prepared to hit the ball. It so happened he walked me."

Henderson tied Ruth at 2,062 as a pinch-hitter in Tuesday night's 12-7 loss to the Phillies.

Henderson was back in the starting lineup Wednesday after sitting out a start because his average had tumbled to .111.

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, 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.




 More from ESPN...
Runs mark is next on Rickey's list

Phillies undeterred by Rickey, down Padres

Walking into history: Rickey Henderson ties the Babe


AUDIO/VIDEO
Audio
 Keep Walking
Rickey Henderson appreciates the record, but would have settled for the win.
wav: 171 k | Listen



 ESPN Tools
Email story
 
Most sent
 
Print story
 
Daily email