Jul 21 2007 10:10 PM
Almost nothing about Rickey fails to fascinate:
[url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070721&content_id=2100450&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb][/url]
Notes: Henderson's rockin' past
Mets first-base coach named after musician Ricky Nelson
By Marty Noble / MLB.com
LOS ANGELES -- Before Barry Bonds strolled past him, Rickey Henderson was the career leader in bases on balls and quite proud to be. A non-slugger with 2,190 walks. His pride is based primarily on that.
If, when Henderson played, he had a recording played each time he approached the plate as players do now, his could have been "I'm Walkin'," a song co-written and recorded by Fats Domino and covered by Ricky Nelson in 1957.
The latter version would have delighted Henderson's mother, Bobbie, because she was a Ricky Nelson devotee and named her son after Ozzie and Harriet's second son. Indeed, Henderson's middle name is Nelson, though in many reference materials, it is listed as Henley.
The explanation: Henderson was born on Christmas Day, 1958 in Chicago -- more specifically, in the back seat of a '57 Chevy. His father's name was John L. Henley.
When Bobbie and John brought their newborn son home, they hadn't chosen a name for him.
"The only name on my birth certificate," Henderson said, "was Henley, no first name."
Bobbie Henderson eventually decided on Rickey Nelson Henley for her son. To this day, Henderson has no idea why his first name is spelled with an E.
John Henley was killed in truck accident when Henderson was 12 years old. Bobbie remarried when her son was a junior in high school. She married Paul Henderson. Henderson became the surname of the man who last week became the Mets' first-base coach, and Henley essentially morphed into his middle name, displacing Nelson.
Not surprisingly, Henderson isn't particularly familiar with the work of the late rock and roll legend, though he can knock out a few lyrics from "Hello Mary Lou." He concedes Nelson produced more albums, but Henderson is proud to say he has more hits.