Before he was "Coach Prime," even before he played a down in the NFL, Deion Sanders was a hot outfield prospect for the New York Yankees when he made his major league debut in center field in May 1989.
The Yankees' left fielder that day? Rickey Henderson.
Sanders, now the head football coach at the University of Colorado, wrote a heartfelt message Saturday in response to news of Henderson's shocking death at age 65.
More news: Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson Dies at 65
"Rickey Henderson is my Baseball Hero!" Sanders wrote on his Instagram account. "I wanted to play like he played, I wanted the patience at the plate he had & the understanding of the art of base stealing."
"He taught me so much and answered Every-time I called & he showed me love every time I seen him. Wow my Hero is gone. Wow!!! God please bless his family, comfort them and protect the hearts of his loved 1z. This hurts. In Jesus name Amen. #Prime"
Two years after setting the all-time single season stolen bases record with the Oakland A's in 1982, Henderson was traded to the Yankees. Over the next four seasons in The Bronx, he made four American League All-Star teams and paced the AL in stolen bases three times.
Sanders was himself a speedster in both MLB and the NFL. His fleet feet played well on the basepaths, where he went 14 for 17 in stolen-base attempts as a minor leaguer in 1988 — the same year he was drafted out of Florida State University by the Yankees in the 30th round.
In May of the following year, Sanders was promoted to the big leagues, his roster spot coming at the expense of 46-year-old pitcher Tommy John's. He would play parts of two seasons in The Bronx before being released in Sept. 1990.
More news: Former Major League Pitcher, 35, Reportedly Dies in Car Accident
Sanders would go on to appear in parts of nine big league seasons (1989-2001) with the Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. He played 14 seasons in the NFL (1989-2005) with the Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, the Baltimore Ravens and Washington.
As for Henderson, he was traded back to Oakland midway through the 1989 season; he and Sanders were never teammates again.
Yet, as Sanders' Instagram post attests, baseball's all-time stolen bases leader holds a permanent place in his heart.
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