Henderson, Rice Headed to Cooperstown

Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, MLB reports today. Henderson, often cited as the best leadoff hitter ever, was considered a shoe-in, and captured 94.8% of votes in his first year on the ballot. Rice, a Boston stalwart, squeaked in with 76.4% of the vote in his final year of eligibility. The cutoff is 75%.

Both played left field, Rice with Boston his entire 16 seasons, Henderson with nine teams in a 25-year run. Henderson’s career steals record is virtually untouchable; no one has come within 20 bases of his 1982 single-season record of 130. Notable losers this year include outfielder Andre Dawson, with 67% in his 8th year of eligibility, and pitcher Burt Blyleven, with 62.7% in his 12th. (More Jim Rice stories.)