This column originally ran in The Standard-Times on May 13, 2005.

By Nick Tavares

In the world of sports, the toughest call an athlete has to make is when and how to step aside gracefully. Some leave too early, some don't know when to quit and some leave the crowd wanting more.

Ted Williams did it right, hitting .316 with 29 home runs at the age of 41 in 1960.

Then there's Willie Mays, who may have written the book on how not to retire. Willie hit .211 in 1973 with the Mets, but the real damage came in the World Series that year. The greatest center fielder ever embarrassed himself by misjudging routine fly balls, and a poor play at the plate that saw him called out left something of a damper on his career.

There are others who just keep playing, regardless of their eroded skills. Cal Ripken, for example, was no longer a Gold Glover by 2001, but was still a decent hitter and valuable leader in the clubhouse.

This group hangs around because of the certain joy that comes from being around a baseball field. The inescapable childlike feeling can't be duplicated. It's not necessarily about leading the league in average at this point, it's about doing what you love for as long as you want to do it.

There's one guy who epitomizes this crowd. His name is Rickey Henderson, and he's still playing ball.

This week, Rickey, at the tender age of 46, signed on with the San Diego SurfDawgs of the newly formed Golden Baseball League, an independent that will make its home in California and Arizona.

That's Rickey Henderson, he of 1,406 stolen bases, 2,295 runs scored and 1,115 RBI as the greatest lead-off hitter ever.

"I wanted to be part of something special and contributing to the launch of a new league that was very exciting to me," Henderson told The Associated Press this week. "I love playing this game and every spring training feels like the first. I am ready to go."

There will be more than a few who didn't appreciate Henderson's attitude during his playing days. Maybe one of the original "Hot Dogs," Rickey was cocky, brash, un-apologetic and, above all, great. He knew he was great, and he wanted you to know it, too.

His enemies may be quietly chuckling under their breaths at the sight of an over-the-hill, future Hall-of-Famer playing with 20-year-olds who have a slim-to-none chance at ever cracking a 40-man roster. But I don't think that's exactly being fair to the man.

I don't think Rickey is hanging on. He's playing baseball because he loves to play. He'll probably be playing in some retirees league when he's 75.

For all the talk of his eccentric personality -- swing a bat naked in front of a full-length mirror every day, for example -- there must be a part of him that has to realize the reality of his state. His agent says Rickey would like to play in the majors again, and I don't doubt that. But he also must know that his days are up in the big leagues, so why not have some fun playing with kids half his age? It's a great situation.

So here's rooting for Rickey. Here's hoping that he's invited to the Golden League's All-Star Game (if there is one) and that he keeps playing until he's 60.

Certain things just feel right. Rickey on a baseball diamond is one of them.

Nick Tavares is a columnist for The Standard-Times. E-mail him at ntavares@s-t.com

This story appeared on Page C1 of The Standard-Times on May 13, 2005.