Former Mariners player, broadcaster Dave Henderson dies at 57
Dec 27, 2015, 11:51 AM | Updated: 10:53 pm
Dave Henderson, the Mariners' first-ever draft pick in 1977 and the hero of Boston's 1986 ALCS championship, died Sunday at 57. (AP)
(AP)
BY
Seattle Sports
Former Mariners outfielder and broadcaster Dave Henderson died early Sunday morning at Harborview Hospital in Seattle following a heart attack. He was 57.
Known by many as “Hendu,” Henderson was the Mariners’ first-ever draft pick, taken 27th overall in the first round in 1977. He spent 14 years in the MLB, including his first 5 1/2 with Seattle.
He is survived by his sons Chase and Trent and his wife Nancy.
“On behalf of the Seattle Mariners, I want to extend our deepest sympathies to Chase and Trent and Nancy and to Dave’s many friends,” Mariners team president Kevin Mather said in a press release. “He was a devoted father to his two sons and always willing to help someone in need.
“Dave was one of the most popular Mariners in our history, but Dave was also one of the most popular players in Red Sox and A’s history. He had a special ability to connect with people, both inside the game and in the communities in which he lived. I never saw him at the ballpark, or on the golf course, without a big smile on his face.”
Related: Shannon Drayer remembers former colleague Dave Henderson
As a member of the Boston Red Sox, he hit one of the most memorable home runs in postseason history, a two-run shot in the top of the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS that helped Boston stave off elimination against the California Angels and reach the World Series.
The Northern California native hit .258 with 197 home runs, 708 RBIs and a .756 OPS in 1,538 MLB games.
After his playing career, Henderson spent 10 years from 1997 to 2006 as a color commentator on Mariners broadcasts.
Henderson underwent a kidney transplant on Oct. 26 of this year.
