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  • Rickey

  • The Life and Legend of an American Original
  • Written by: Howard Bryant
  • Narrated by: JD Jackson
  • Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
  • 5.0 out of 5 stars (9 ratings)

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Rickey

Written by: Howard Bryant
Narrated by: JD Jackson
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Publisher's Summary

From the author of The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron comes the definitive biography of Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, baseball’s epic leadoff hitter and base-stealer who also stole America’s heart over nearly five electric decades in the game.

Few names in the history of baseball evoke the excellence and dynamism that Rickey Henderson’s does. He holds the record for the most stolen bases in a single game, and he’s scored more runs than any player ever. “If you cut Rickey Henderson in half, you’d have two Hall of Famers,” the baseball historian Bill James once said.

But perhaps even more than his prowess on the field, Rickey Henderson’s is a story of Oakland, California, the town that gave rise to so many legendary athletes like him. And it’s a story of a sea change in sports, when athletes gained celebrity status and Black players finally earned equitable salaries. Henderson embraced this shift with his trademark style, playing for nine different teams throughout his decades-long career and sculpting a brash, larger-than-life persona that stole the nation’s heart. Now, in the hands of critically acclaimed sportswriter and culture critic Howard Bryant, one of baseball’s greatest and most original stars finally gets his due.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Howard Bryant (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

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Fairly represents both sides

Rickey and his “Rickeyisms” are polarizing and by the end of the book it remains obvious why: baseball was and is whitewashed racist, even in so much as how false stories are most widely shared that perpetuate black stereotypes. This book doesn’t skirt around it.

It also does a great job of showing at least two sides of all stories from different perspectives. “Rickey being Rickey” stories were just as likely as “Rickey had a bad rap because…” stories.

Rickey Henderson is the “never quit grit” athlete with INCREDIBLE stats that would have slayed in modern-day baseball. (He likely would be able to make a case for his 85% steal success-rate to warrant a green-light from most Managers today.) He still hasn’t retirex

It could have been helpful if the narrator could have switched voices for direct quotes or something.

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The real “man of steal”, and the coolest ball player ever!

A wonderfully written book about one of baseballs most interesting players. A terrific balance of biography and history. I really enjoyed the history of Oakland as a city and learning more about the great migration. The narrator is the best I’ve heard also. Overall just tremendous.

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