Off Base: Confessions of a Thief
The baseball star shares the story of his life, describing his relationships with such baseball greats as Charlie Finley, Dave Winfield, Jose Canseco, Reggie Jackson, and others, and discusses racism in baseball and player salaries
Read More
Rickey Henderson. Fans all over the country know him as the flashy, aggressive speedster who passed Lou Brock for the all-time stolen base record in 1991. His teammates and opponents know him as the consummate competitor, arguably the greatest leadoff hitter in the history of baseball, someone who knows how to win in any number of infuriating ways. But until now, no one has known Rickey as he reveals himself in these pages.In Off Base: Confessions of a Thief, Rickey speaks out for the first time--and you'll be surprised at what he has to say.He doesn't mince words in discussing his relationships with some of the most fascinating figures in the game: Reggie Jackson, Jose Canseco, Billy Martin, Lou Piniella, Don Mattingly, Yogi Berra, Tony La Russa, Mark McGwire, and Dennis Eckersley. Rickey talks about his boyhood, growing up in Oakland with current Oakland teammate Dave Stewart and with Stanley Burrell, who is known to the world today as the Grammy Award-winner Hammer. Rickey writes about breaking into the majors with Charley Finley's A's, then moving to New York to play for George Steinbrenner (whom Rickey actually admires), then returning to Oakland to win his first World Series ring in the wake of a devastating earthquake--and his first league MVP. Rickey discusses what he's learned about the game in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Japan. He also incisively addresses the problem of racism in baseball.With the same panache he shows on the base paths, Rickey Henderson has written a book that will entertain and delight baseball fans from coast to coast.
Read Less