Rickey Henderson

My dream was to play football for the Oakland Raiders. But my mother thought I would get hurt playing football, so she chose baseball for me. I guess moms do know best.

Once you can accept failure, you can have fun and success.

I have to play baseball to make me happy. I have to be an athlete. But when it's all said and done, I'll be a normal father. A normal-type house man.

The only name on my birth certificate was Henley, no first name.

My journey as a player is complete.

I love the game and I wanted to continue playing. It came to a time that I had to stop.

I'm a Hall of Famer and I'm still fighting for it because I love the game and I love to play.

I like playing for Oakland, they have a very colorful uniform.

To me the most important thing was stirring things up and scoring some runs so we could win a ballgame.

Lou Brock was a great base stealer but today I am the greatest.

I don't want to be one of those great players who never made it to the Series.

I did so many things that made me a threat.

To all the kids out there: Follow your dream. Believe in your dream. Because dreams do come true.

People say I stole a lot of bases. I stole the bases for a reason. I crossed the plate.

I'm disappointed about how my career ended.

I love playing this game and every spring training feels like the first.

Somehow, I've been blessed to be able to have the young spirit inside - not feel like every year I get a year older. I feel like every year I get a year younger. I don't wake up in the morning with aches and pains.

You have to keep running. I always believed I was going to be safe.

Rickey got a big ranch. Rickey got a big bull. Rickey got horses. Rickey got chickens and everything. And Rickey got a 20-gallon hat.

Rickey don't like it when Rickey can't find Rickey's limo.

I wanted to be a part of something special and contributing to the launch of a new league was very exciting to me.

My impact on the game was going out there and making things happen.

If my uniform doesn't get dirty, I haven't done anything in the baseball game.

You never had the opportunity to play with some of the great ballplayers, but being that close around them, and being in the same category, was a great feeling, to feel that vibe of all the best players who played the game.

I don't think I ever got proper credit about being smart about the game.

Just because I believed in what I was doing on the field and dedicated myself to playing the game, does that mean I'm cocky? Does that mean I'm arrogant?

Even the slowest guy can go from first to third and help win a ballgame.

When you're a kid, you want to be a millionaire.