MLB History: Top Five Players to Wear Number 42

Dave Henderson began his career with the Seattle Mariners and spend the majority of his career with the Oakland Athletics. He wore number 42 in all but two seasons of his career.

He spent part of a season with the San Francisco Giants and one with the Kansas City Royals as well. However, he is probably best remembered for his two partial seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

In 1986 he was traded from the Mariners to the Red Sox, mostly to back up Red Sox centerfielder Tony Armas. He was usually a late-inning defensive replacement for Armas or used as a pinch hitter.

The Red Sox went on to face the then California Angels in the 1986 American League Championship Series. Down three games to one, things were not looking good for the Red Sox. Tony Armas sprained his ankle and was replaced by Henderson.

With the Red Sox leading 2-1 in the sixth, the Angels’ Bobby Grich hit a two-run homer to center that deflected off of Henderson’s glove and gave the Angels the lead, which they added on to in their half of the seventh-inning.

Then in the top of the ninth Henderson hit a two-out, two-strike home run off of Angels’ reliever Donnie Moore. The home run was so incredibly unexpected that it caused broadcaster Al Michaels to say,

"“You’re looking at one for the ages here."

And everyone was. The Red Sox famously went on to lose the World Series to the New York Mets but Henderson’s home run is still remembered by fans everywhere.

Henderson’s best years however came with the Oakland A’s. Between 1988 and 1993, Henderson hit 83 home runs and drove in 283 runs as the A’s starting centerfielder.

He took home a World Series ring in 1989 when the Athletics swept the Giants in the Battle of the Bay and was an all-star for the first and only time in his career in 1991.

Henderson retired in 1994 after a season with the Royals in which he continued to wear number 42.