Rickey Henderson wearing #39 1979

[RJB44]

So I just saw the footage from Rickey's first game in the big leagues. June 24, 1979. He is wearing #39 with no name on the back of the jersey. It appears that Stan Bahnsen was the last guy to wear #39 for the A's prior to 1979 and that was in 1976. It wasn't worn again until 1980 by Dave McKay. So I would assume that any 1973-79 Oakland A's white #39, with original number, could possibly have been Rickey's true first game used jersey. Considering how cheap the A's were and that they recycled extensively (for their own team) during the 1970's. I know Rickey ended up getting #35 at some point in 1979, but not sure how many games he may have played with #39, probably not many, and perhaps just that first game against Texas.

[Marichal27]

I know he wore # 35 before he wore #24.

[Dewey2007]

He also wore #22 for a brief time when he returned to the A's in '89.

[sportscentury]

He wore 35 again with the Red Sox in 2002 (Manram wore 24), though he started out with the Bosox for a brief period wearing 12.

[athletics61]

I wish I could have seen the footage. If I remember right, Oakland's triple A farm team in 1979 was in Ogden. They were also known as the A's.

Since the jersey he wore had no name on it and the well known fact that Charles Finley spent as little he could on uniforms, it makes me wonder that he was wearing his Ogden jersey in his first game. I have tried to locate a roster to see what number Henderson wore for Ogden in 1979, but have not had success finding it.

Any ideas out there?

Don

[bronx_burner]

http://www.rickeyhendersoncollectibles.com/2008/06/june-24-1979-rickeys-mlb-debut.html

[sportscentury]

He wore 35 again with the Red Sox in 2002 (Manram wore 24), though he started out with the Bosox for a brief period wearing 12.

Here is a history (added a few of my notes to complete a record I found on-line):


1979 - 1984 Athletics #39 very briefly, then #35
1985-1989 Yankees #24
1989-1993 Athletics #22 for 2-3 weeks following trade, then #24
1993 Blue Jays #14 for a week following trade, then #24
1994-1995 Athletics #24
1996-1997 Padres #24
1997 Angels #24
1998 Athletics #24
1999-2000 Mets #24
2000 Mariners #35
2001 Padres #24
2002 Red Sox #12 very briefly, then #35 2003 Dodgers #25

[RJB44]

The A's Triple A club, Ogden, didn't wear the same style uniforms that Oakland did during that period. Since the game was in Oakland on that Sunday afternoon (A's historically wore white jerseys for Sunday home games), I'm sure they were able to easily grab a surplus jersey from the supply room. They just didn't have time to apply his name. My guess is that since it was a Sunday, no one was available to sewn the name on the jersey in time for the game. His #35 was probably either being worked on or on its way to the tailor. Back then, the A's didn't use name plates, letters were sewn on individually.

[bronx_burner]

2002 Red Sox #12 very briefly, then #35

I'm almost certain he only wore 12 in spring training and made the switch to 35 before opening day.

[sportscentury]

I'm almost certain he only wore 12 in spring training and made the switch to 35 before opening day.

You may be right. I was told by his helper that he wore 12 at the beginning of the regular season, though he was trying to peddle Rickey's #12 hat and batting gloves to me at the time, so...

[athletics61]

The A's Triple A club, Ogden, didn't wear the same style uniforms that Oakland did during that period. Since the game was in Oakland on that Sunday afternoon (A's historically wore white jerseys for Sunday home games), I'm sure they were able to easily grab a surplus jersey from the supply room. They just didn't have time to apply his name. My guess is that since it was a Sunday, no one was available to sewn the name on the jersey in time for the game. His #35 was probably either being worked on or on its way to the tailor. Back then, the A's didn't use name plates, letters were sewn on individually.


Good catch.

Don.