When Dave Stewart received the heartbreaking call late Friday night, he felt paralyzed and lost for words, overcome with emotion.

The news was about the passing of Rickey Henderson, one of baseball’s all-time greats.

Just days before his 66th birthday on Christmas Day, Henderson’s life was cut short.

Stewart and Henderson shared a deep friendship, having grown up together in Oakland and playing side by side for the Oakland Athletics. They celebrated a World Series championship together in Oakland and even shared the poignant moment of throwing out the final ceremonial pitches at the A’s last game in Oakland this past September.

Now, a mere three months after the franchise’s farewell game in Oakland, Henderson has left us.

A first-ballot Hall of Famer, he holds the records for the most stolen bases and most runs scored in Major League Baseball history.

Henderson, who served as an instructor and ambassador for the A’s, felt devastated when the team announced its relocation from Oakland, but his legacy will remain forever cherished.

If you were a fan of the A’s, you were undoubtedly a die-hard supporter of Rickey Henderson.

For players, the fond memories of their time spent with Henderson will always be held dear.

For lifelong friends like Dave Stewart, losing Henderson feels like one of the hardest moments of their lives.

Stewart, who also hailed from Oakland and won a World Series alongside Henderson in 1989, recalled his favorite memory at the Oakland Coliseum: witnessing Henderson break Lou Brock’s all-time stolen base record just two years later. Henderson ended his illustrious career with a staggering 1,406 stolen bases.

“When he became the king of stolen bases,” Stewart reflected, “it was the best day of my life.”

“Growing up with your buddy and seeing him achieve greatness feels like being part of it yourself. That day was everything to me.”

Henderson celebrated his record-breaking moment by pulling the second base out of the ground, lifting it high as he proclaimed, “I am the greatest!”

Henderson was never known for his modesty; instead, he had a unique, flamboyant style.

“Rickey had his own way of doing things,” remarked Dennis Eckersley, his former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer. “He was so in his own world that he probably didn’t realize he was making an impact on others.”

Mike Gallego, former infielder for the A’s, shared with the San Francisco Chronicle: “He never intended to put anyone to shame. He played baseball as if he were in his own backyard. While we admired players like Pete Rose, Rickey only looked to emulate himself.”

Henderson, who dominated the league in stolen bases 12 times over 25 years, averaged an impressive 74 steals each season. The A’s selected him in the fourth round of the 1976 draft from Oakland Tech High School, one year after Stewart had been picked by the Los Angeles Dodgers from St. Elizabeth High School.

The two became teammates in 1989, eventually leading the A’s to a World Series victory against the San Francisco Giants. Henderson earned the ALCS MVP with a .400 batting average and eight stolen bases, while Stewart was named the World Series MVP, boasting a 2-0 record and a remarkable 1.13 ERA across 16 innings.

This championship marked the A’s first World Series title in 15 years, following a decade during which Oakland had flourished in sports, with the A’s winning consecutively from 1972 to 1974, the Golden State Warriors claiming the NBA championship in 1975, and the Oakland Raiders securing the Super Bowl in 1980.

This context deepens the sorrow that Stewart and Henderson felt at the team’s announcement to leave.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the A’s depart,” Henderson expressed. “We’ve been through a lot with them. When a city that had three major professional sports teams can’t retain any, something is amiss. It’s tragic for Oakland.”

Born and raised in Oakland, Stewart met Henderson as teenagers in the local Connie Mack leagues. They later played against each other in high school before both making it to the professional level, with Henderson evolving into the most feared baserunner in baseball history.

<p“In my eyes, Rickey stands as one of the top three or four players to ever play the game,” Stewart asserted. “He had the ability to turn a team’s fortunes not just for a game or two, but for extended periods. He was simply phenomenal.”

Now he is no longer with us, but the memories of Rickey Henderson will forever be celebrated and honored by A’s fans.

“My time playing baseball in Oakland was incredible,” Henderson once said upon being inducted into the Hall of Fame. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The fans of Oakland were truly the best, always supporting me even when I played for other teams.”