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 a former American Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He was a left fielder who played for several teams during his career. He is most famous for a major trade he was part of with the New York Mets.

Early Baseball Career

Henderson was chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth round of the 1974 Major League Baseball Draft. He was a standout player in the minor leagues. In 1976, he played for the Trois-Rivières Aigles, a Double-A team for the Reds. He led his league with 158 hits and eleven triples.

By 1977, he was playing for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians and had a great batting average of .326. His excellent performance caught the eye of other MLB teams.

Playing for the New York Mets

The "Midnight Massacre" Trade

On June 15, 1977, the New York Mets made a series of trades that shocked their fans. This event became known as the "Midnight Massacre." In the most famous trade, the Mets sent their star pitcher, Tom Seaver, to the Cincinnati Reds. In return, the Mets received four players, including Steve Henderson.

A Star Rookie Season

Henderson (left) with the Mets in 1978

Henderson made his debut with the Mets just one day after the trade. He immediately made an impact. In his first game, he scored the tying run in a 4-3 victory.

A few days later, on June 21, he had an even more exciting moment. In a game against the Atlanta Braves, the score was tied in the 11th inning. With two teammates on base, Henderson came up to bat. He hit a massive three-run walk off home run, which means his hit instantly won the game for the Mets.

During his first season, Henderson set a Mets rookie record by getting on base in 29 straight games that he started. He finished the year with a .297 batting average, 12 home runs, and 65 runs batted in (RBIs). He was so good that he almost won the National League Rookie of the Year award, losing by just one vote.

A Memorable Comeback

On June 14, 1980, Henderson had another amazing game. The Mets were losing to the San Francisco Giants 6-0. It looked like the game was over. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mets made an incredible comeback. With two outs, Henderson hit a three-run home run to win the game 7-6. It was a high point for the team that season.

Henderson said he played his best when he focused on getting hits. The Mets wanted him to hit more home runs, but he was not a natural power hitter. After the 1980 season, the Mets traded Henderson to the Chicago Cubs.

Career with Other Teams

Chicago Cubs

Henderson played for the Chicago Cubs for two seasons. His first year, in 1981, was shortened by a players' strike, but he still batted .293. The next year, his performance declined, and he shared playing time with other outfielders. In December 1982, the Cubs traded him to the Seattle Mariners.

Seattle, Oakland, and Houston

Henderson played for the Seattle Mariners for two seasons. He then signed with the Oakland Athletics in 1985. He later played for the Houston Astros in 1988. He spent time playing in both the major and minor leagues during these years.

Henderson played his last professional season in 1989 with the Buffalo Bisons, a minor league team, before retiring as a player.

Life After Playing

After he stopped playing, Henderson became a coach. He worked for several MLB organizations, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays). He was the hitting coach for the Rays when they went to the World Series in 2008.

Later, he joined the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He was promoted to be their main hitting coach in 2012 and stayed with the team until 2016.

Henderson and his wife, Pam, live in Tampa, Florida.