Steve Henderson (baseball) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Henderson
Henderson as a coach with the Phillies in 2016
Left fielder
Born: (1952-11-18) November 18, 1952 (age 72) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
June 16, 1977, for the New York Mets
Last appearance
September 28, 1988, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
Batting average	.280
Home runs	68
Runs batted in	428
Teams
New York Mets (1977–1980) Chicago Cubs (1981–1982) Seattle Mariners (1983–1984) Oakland Athletics (1985–1987) Houston Astros (1988)

Steven Curtis Henderson (born November 18, 1952) is an American former Major League Baseball player. He played as a left fielder for several teams. He is well-known for being one of the players the New York Mets got in a big trade in 1977. This trade was later called the "Midnight Massacre."

Steve Henderson's Early Baseball Career

Steve Henderson was chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1974 Major League Baseball Draft. He was picked in the fifth round after playing baseball at Prairie View A&M University.

Playing in the Minor Leagues

In 1976, Steve played for the Trois-Rivières Aigles, a Double-A team for the Reds. He was a great hitter, leading the Eastern League with 158 hits. He also had eleven triples and a .312 batting average.

The next year, in 1977, he played for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. He was hitting an impressive .326 when he was traded to the New York Mets.

Playing for the New York Mets

On June 15, 1977, the New York Mets made a big trade. They sent their star pitcher, Tom Seaver, to the Cincinnati Reds. In return, the Mets received four players: Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Dan Norman, and Steve Henderson. This series of trades became known as the "Midnight Massacre."

Henderson (left) with the Mets in 1978

Steve Henderson played his first Major League game the very next day. He entered the game as a pinch runner for Ed Kranepool. His first run in the big leagues helped the Mets win 4-3 against the Houston Astros.

Memorable Moments with the Mets

Just a few days later, on June 21, Steve had a very exciting moment. The Mets were playing the Atlanta Braves. In the 11th inning, with the score tied, the Braves chose to intentionally walk a batter to get to Henderson. But their plan didn't work! Steve hit a three-run walk off home run, winning the game for the Mets.

He also set a new record for Mets rookies. He reached base in 29 games in a row that he started. This record was later tied by Josh Satin in 2013.

For the 1977 season, Steve had a .297 batting average. He hit twelve home runs and had 65 runs batted in. He finished second in the voting for the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award in the National League.

Another big moment for Steve came on June 14, 1980. The Mets were losing 6-2 to the Giants in the ninth inning. With two outs, the Mets made an amazing comeback. Steve Henderson hit a three-run home run to win the game 7-6!

Steve said he played his best when he focused on getting hits. He felt pressured by the Mets to hit more home runs, even though he wasn't naturally a power hitter.

Leaving the Mets

On February 28, 1981, the Mets traded Steve Henderson to the Chicago Cubs. This trade brought Dave Kingman back to the Mets, who had been traded away earlier. During his time with the Mets, Steve batted .287, hit 35 home runs, and had 227 runs batted in.

Playing for Other Teams

After leaving the Mets, Steve Henderson played for several other teams in Major League Baseball.

Chicago Cubs (1981–1982)

In the 1981 season, which was shorter due to a strike, Steve batted .293 for the Chicago Cubs. He hit five home runs and had 32 runs batted in. His performance dropped in 1982, and he was traded to the Seattle Mariners in December 1982.

Seattle Mariners (1983–1984)

Steve played two seasons with the Seattle Mariners.

Oakland Athletics (1985–1987)

In 1985, Steve signed with the Oakland Athletics. He played alongside his former Mets teammate, Dave Kingman, again. He was released by the A's in May 1986. He later signed with the Chicago White Sox for a short time. In 1987, he returned to the A's, splitting his time between Oakland and their Triple-A team.

Houston Astros (1988)

Steve signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros for the 1988 season. He played for both the Astros and their Triple-A team. After the season, he was released. He played one more year in the minor leagues with the Buffalo Bisons before retiring from playing baseball.

Steve Henderson's Career Statistics

Here are some of Steve Henderson's career statistics from his time in Major League Baseball:

After His Playing Career

After retiring as a player, Steve Henderson continued to be involved in baseball as a coach.

Coaching Career

Steve coached in the Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league system from 1990 to 1993. He then joined the Houston Astros organization in 1994. He served as their hitting coach for the Major League team in 1995 and 1996.

He later moved to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays) organization in 1996. He was their hitting coach for their first season in 1998, and again from 2006 to 2009. In 2008, he made his first trip to the post-season as a coach.

In 2010, Steve joined the Philadelphia Phillies. He worked as an outfield and baserunning coordinator. He then became the organization's hitting coordinator in 2011 and 2012. On October 4, 2012, he was promoted to be the hitting coach for the Phillies' main team. He coached with the Phillies until the end of the 2016 season.

Steve and his wife, Pam, live in Tampa, Florida. He also earned degrees in Multimedia and Political Science in 2006.

Images for kids

• 

  Henderson (left) with the Mets in 1978