Henderson shines through ‘School of Rickey’

“School of Rickey” opens with an Oakland graffiti artist named Vogue spray-painting a mural of Rickey Henderson: the young Man of Steal in his A’s uniform, grinning as the city glints in the reflection of his sunglasses.

The documentary, presented by MLB Network, airs on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. It chronicles the stolen-base king’s Hall of Fame career, but more importantly focuses on Henderson’s unique style, emblematic of his home city. “School of Rickey” portrays the Oakland product as a trailblazing player-entertainer who helped transition baseball from Old School to New School.

“We were trying to balance the cultural impact, his legacy, why he matters now, while also touching upon his career,” said MLB Network coordinating producer Jed Tuminaro. “He was a player sort of ahead of his era, and his impact, you can see it in a lot of what goes on in today’s game — the way Rickey played, the style, the flair he had. We set out to show that.”

Through interviews with media members, Henderson’s contemporaries — like A’s teammates Dennis Eckersley and Dave Stewart and manager Tony La Russa — and current players like Josh Donaldson, Bryce Harper and Jimmy Rollins, “School of Rickey” looks to bridge the generational gap and highlight Henderson’s continuing influence.

“Rickey was …

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