Henderson Gets Recognition in Form of MVP : Baseball: He gets 14 of 28 first-place votes and narrowly beats Fielder.

The recognition Rickey Henderson has craved since childhood finally came his way Tuesday when he won the American League’s most valuable player award.

The Oakland Athletic outfielder’s dazzling array of speed, power, batting and defense outshined the sheer slugging of Detroit’s Cecil Fielder in balloting by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America.

“I want to tip my hat to Cecil Fielder,” Henderson said. “He had an outstanding year and he deserved to win this award, too. But I think because of all the things I did for my team I was able to edge him.”

Henderson capped the finest overall season of his 11-year career by gaining 14 of the 28 first-place votes. Henderson’s total of 317 points put him narrowly ahead of Fielder, who led the majors with 51 homers and drove in 132 runs. Fielder drew 10 first-place votes and 286 points in the voting by two writers in each AL city.

Henderson said he hasn’t been so excited since he broke Lou Brock’s stolen base record of 118 by stealing 130 bases in 1982.

“My next big moment is going to be when I break Brock’s all-time stolen-base record,” said Henderson, who needs three more to surpass Brock’s career total of 938. “If I can play eight or nine more years, I’ll put it out of reach--1,200 to 1,500 is what I’ll shoot for.”

Said Hall of Famer Willie Mays, whose No. 24 is worn by Henderson and NL MVP Barry Bonds of Pittsburgh: “Rickey’s the best leadoff man I’ve ever seen. They’re both my kids, both great players. Barry’s my godson and a wonderful young player. Rickey has everything it takes, the hitting and running and fielding. I’ve never seen a leadoff man who can do all the things he does so well.”

More than the slugging of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, it was Henderson who made the Athletics go this year. If he didn’t open the scoring with a homer or a “Rickey run”--a walk or single followed by two stolen bases and a sacrifice fly--he frequently started rallies that brought the A’s back or made the big plays in left field.

Oakland won 26 of the 33 games in which Henderson scored in the first inning. Five of his career-high 28 homers were leadoff shots, extending his major league record to 45 leadoff homers.

Henderson, still running and taking the bumps at age 31, led the American League in stolen bases for the 10th time, finishing with 65.

Henderson also led the majors in runs scored (119) and on-base percentage (.439). He finished second in batting with a .325 average, behind George Brett’s .329, and in slugging with a career-high .577 mark, just behind Fielder.

Fielder was disappointed at not winning.”It would have been nice. But I know my teammates appreciate me.”

Boston pitcher Roger Clemens finished third with three first-place votes and 212 points. Oakland’s Dennis Eckersley, who finished sixth in the MVP voting behind Toronto’s Kelly Gruber and Chicago’s Bobby Thigpen, got the other first-place vote.