Delaney: More insight from Henderson, Rice

National Baseball Hall of Fame officials don't know what team will be represented on Rickey Henderson's cap when the all-time stolen base and runs scored leader is inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. Henderson, 50, played for nine teams in a 25-year career including four stints with his hometown Oakland A's. Henderson was born in Chicago but his family moved to Oakland when he was two.

Henderson and fellow electee Jim Rice both said Monday they haven't given thought to what they will say in their speeches. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be July 26 at the Cark Sports Center in Cooperstown. Rice, known as a man of few words during his 16-year career in Boston, did say his speech won't be long.

"Short and quick," Rice said. "It's going to be short and quick."

Henderson and Rice were on separate conference calls hours after they were notified of their elections. In Henderson's call, he was asked about the chances of former teammate Mark McGwire getting into the Hall of Fame. McGwire, who has been reclusive since an appearance before Congress several years ago in which he refused to discuss whether or not he used performancing enhancing drugs, received 21.9 percent of the vote this year.

"Mark McGwire is probably one of the best person, ballplayers I've ever been around," Henderson said. "He was serious abou the game and played the right way."

Rice, who was on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot for the 15th and final time, said he took something from baseball to deal with 14 years of not getting into the Hall of Fame.

"Be patient and wait to the last out," Rice said, chuckling. "I think everything was timing. It was the right time."

Henderson and Rice, the 20 and 21st left fielders elected, are the first from that position since Carl Yastrzemski in 1989. No position has gone longer without electing a new hall of famer.