A good thing

The New York Times has an article by Jack Curry about the elevation of a great player to the Hall of Fame:

Rickey Henderson never wanted to stop diving headfirst or dashing home or making a snatch catch of a fly ball or wearing a major league uniform. He never wanted to stop playing baseball. Even on the day that Henderson was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, he still mused about playing one more game with the Oakland Athletics. “I always want to reappear in a uniform with Oakland,” Henderson said. Henderson’s superb career as a leadoff hitter was defined by speed and success, themes that continued Monday when he was elected into the Hall in his first year of eligibility. Henderson sprinted into the Hall with 94.8 percent of the vote.
For election, players need 75 percent of the vote from veteran members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Of the 539 ballots cast, Henderson notched 511 votes.

Rico says he happened to be in New York visiting his stepson when Oakland (where Rico then lived with his soon-to-be ex-wife) played the Yankees. Too good an opportunity to miss, so they ended up sitting back of first base. Rickey, as usual, was the first batter up, and Rico had to stand up, all alone in Yankee Stadium, and yell: "Hit it out, Rickey!"
Henderson was known for hitting lead-off homers, but he didn't that time. Probably just as well; Rico might've been lynched, otherwise...