BY MIKE STEVENS
The primary time I noticed fishing stood as “the nice equalizer,” I used to be working in a sporting items retailer within the late ‘90s. One among my co-workers was a part-time (attempting to be full time) cop, so he labored on the gun aspect of the shop to assist make ends meet and rating the worker low cost.
In the future came visiting to speak with me on the fishing aspect, and mid-chat I observed that he stopped listening to what I used to be saying and looking out proper previous me with a bit of smirk on his face. I regarded again and noticed a giant bald dude with tattoos throughout his head and a few on his face together with the tear-drop tattoos below his eyes which can be often indicative of…issues.
“Why are you gazing that man?”
“Final yr I arrested him for tried homicide.”
“Woah. He’s not heading for the gun aspect is he?” I requested, half joking.
“No. It appears to be like like he’s simply getting some nightcrawlers”
Then a lightweight went off in my 22-year-old head, and after an extended pause I stated, “nicely, he doubtless received’t be entering into any hassle in the present day.”
That man grew to become an everyday buyer, and he’d ask questions on fishing and hold on my each phrase regardless that I used to be simply giving him actually primary information. Two guys who won’t even give one another a head nod on the road not to mention hang around, however when the topic was fishing, frequent floor was discovered. Simply a few dudes.
Final week, arguably the very best leadoff hitter in baseball historical past, Rickey Henderson, handed away. Since my arrival at WON a decade in the past, I realized that he was a severe saltwater angler.
My first clue got here when he was made his approach into WON’s long-running Whoppers of the Week graphic. I noticed “Rickey Henderson” out of the Bay Space with a giant halibut and figured it may very well be potential. For one, I knew he spelled his title with the “e” in “Rickey” which isn’t tremendous frequent. And he was additionally a very long time (multi-time, in truth) member of the Oakland A’s, so it actually would make sense.
I shot a word to WON’s NorCal Editor, Dave Hurley asking if that Rickey was the Rickey, and he stated it was, and that he was an everyday on the California Daybreak II.
The Cal Daybreak II…a celebration boat. Rickey didn’t exit in his personal boat and even on 6-pack charters. Rickey fished with the individuals, offering one more instance of fishing serving as the nice equalizer.
As soon as Hurley knew Rickey was on my radar, he made a degree to ship images of the corridor of famer with large halibut and every little thing else the native waters needed to supply. I lately requested Hurley — a lifetime Oakland A’s fan— why he hasn’t interviewed him but for WON. Hurley appreciated the concept, however our window closed when Henderson handed away as a result of pneumonia at 65 years of age on December 20, 5 days earlier than his Christmas birthday.
That morning, I noticed the chatter on X (previously Twitter), however noticed nothing from a good supply to verify it. I texted Hurley who was attempting to verify it himself, and he was in a position to (earlier than nationwide media) when he reached out to Justin Smith of the California Daybreak II, the boat’s captain and “a very good good friend of Rickey.”
Amongst Henderson’s baseball accomplishments is standing because the all-time chief in stolen bases (1,406) which can simply by no means be beat. He additionally crossed residence plate greater than another participant, 2,295 instances, which can be doubtless untouchable. There are 128 retired gamers behind him earlier than you get to the primary energetic participant on the checklist, Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers with 1,298 profession runs scored.
That’s proper, the following man who can presumably catch him within the runs division is sort of 1,000 runs behind him.
After baseball, amongst different issues little question, “The Man of Steal” was a celebration boat angler and an everyday on the California Daybreak II. This after a staggering 25 years within the highlight as a Main League Baseball participant. Anybody may spend a day on that vessel, look down the rail and see one of many best baseball gamers of all time getting slime on his arms and blood on his shirt in hopes of bagging his subsequent large flatty, similar to they have been doing.
An immortal on the diamond, however an equal on the water.
