Henderson, Rice hall votes excite Rollins

"It's definitely a happy day, but not surprising when you look at the career Rickey had," Rollins said.

Rollins was raised in Alameda, Calif., not far from where Henderson burned up the base paths for the Oakland Athletics. Rollins recalled going to A's games in the early 1990s, when Henderson was in his second tour with the A's.

"I would always get there early so I could watch him stretch and run," said Rollins, who has stolen 40-plus bases four times in his big-league career. "I tried to emulate his batting stance. Every time he got on base, I'd say to myself, 'OK, what's Rickey thinking?'

"I'd study him the way an archaeologist would study T-rex bones. I looked at the way he affected games with his speed, then tried to do it in my own games."

Rollins was enthralled by Henderson's trademark "coolness."

"He was a total entertainment package," Rollins said. "He inspired me to play with style."

Rollins laughed as he recalled how upset he'd get if an A's game was not televised. He laughed again when he recalled meeting Henderson for the first time. Rollins was a 22-year-old rookie with the Phillies in 2001, on his way to the National League stolen-base crown. Henderson was 42, winding down his career with the San Diego Padres.

Rollins is not easily intimidated, but he remembers being anxious that day in San Diego. Henderson was not in the lineup. Several hours before game time, Rollins had a feeling Henderson would be working out in the weight room. Should I? Shouldn't I?

"I cracked the door, and there he was, doing curls," Rollins said. "I let the door shut. 'Oh, my goodness, Rickey's right there.' Finally I went in. We talked. I was like a little kid meeting his favorite player."

Rollins and Henderson had more in common than speed. James Rollins, Jimmy's father, and Henderson grew up near each other in North Oakland. When Jimmy won the NL MVP award in 2007, the Rollins family invited Henderson, the 1990 American League MVP, to the celebration party.

"Everybody was like, 'We love you, Jimmy, but that's Rickey. He's the original,' " Rollins recalled. "Rickey could always steal the show."

Henderson stole 1,406 bases and scored 2,295 runs in 25 seasons. He is second all-time in walks (2,190) and fourth in times on base (5,343).

"My biggest thing was going out and being able to get on base and make things happen, being able to come across the plate and give my team an opportunity to win a ball game," Henderson said yesterday in a conference call with reporters.

Henderson, 50, received 511 of a possible 539 votes (95 percent). Seventy-five percent, or 405 votes, were needed for election by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Rice (76 percent) made it by seven votes in his 15th and final year on the writers' ballot. Red Ruffing and Ralph Kiner are the others to make it in their final year on the writers' ballot.

"It doesn't matter what ballot as long as you get it," said Rice, the 1978 AL MVP. "You have to be patient and wait for the last out."

Rice was the league's dominant hitter from 1975 to 1986. Over that span, he led the AL in runs, hits, home runs, extra-base hits, RBIs, slugging and outfield assists. His detractors contended that period of dominance wasn't long enough, but that doesn't matter now.

"I'm in there, and they can't take it away," he said.

Andre Dawson (67 percent) and Bert Blyleven (63) were the only others to reach 60 percent of the vote. Slugger Mark McGwire, his career accomplishments clouded by suspicions of steroid use, slipped from 24 percent to 22.

Henderson, Rice and veterans committee selection Joe Gordon will be inducted together in Cooperstown, N.Y., on July 26. Gordon, who is deceased, was a New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians second baseman.