Cooperstown, N.Y. — Jim Rice’s icy glare melted into a wide smile. Brash, flamboyant Rickey Henderson was humbled by it all.

The former left fielders were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday along with the late Joe Gordon, and Henderson, baseball’s all-time leading base stealer, was briefly overcome before evoking some hearty laughs.

“My journey as a player is complete,” Henderson said. “I am now in the class of the greatest players of all time, and at this moment I am very humbled.”

Born in Chicago on Christmas Day 1958, Henderson moved with his family to California when he was 7 years old and became a three-sport star at Oakland Technical High School. Football was his forte, and he received numerous scholarships.

“My dream was to play football for the Oakland Raiders,” Henderson said. “But my mother thought I would get hurt playing football, so she chose baseball for me. I guess moms do know best.”

Henderson led the AL in steals 12 times and holds the record for steals with 1,406, runs scored with 2,295, unintentional walks with 2,129 and homers leading off a game with 81.

He said he owed much of that to a trick played by his former Babe Ruth coach, Hank Thompson.

“He tricked me into playing by coming to pick me up with a glazed donut and a cup of hot chocolate,” said Henderson, who played for nine teams during his 25-year career. “That was the way he would get me up and out of bed.”

While Henderson, now 50, was just the 44th player elected to the Hall in his first year of eligibility, Rice had to wait until his final year of eligibility to be selected.

“It doesn’t matter that the call came 15 years later,” Rice said. “What matters is that I got it.

“It’s hard to comprehend. I am in awe to be in this elite company and humbled to be accepting this honor. I cannot think of anywhere I’d rather be than to be right here, right now, with you and you,” Rice said, pointing at the 50 Hall of Famers on stage behind him and then at the fans. “Thank you.”

Baseball

K.C.’s Pena Jr. to pitch

Kansas City, Mo. — Tony Pena Jr. has hit like a pitcher for the past two years, so the Kansas City Royals plan to convert him to one.

Pena, who was the Royals’ shortstop on opening day in 2007 and 2008, has hit .156 with 62 strikeouts and eight walks in 276 at-bats the last two years.

After clearing waivers, the Royals outrighted him Friday to Triple-A Omaha, but instead of reporting to the Pacific Coast League, Pena could be taking a detour to the Royals’ complex in Surprise, Ariz., to work off the mound.

Bedard back on DL

Seattle — Oft-injured pitcher Erik Bedard is back on Seattle’s disabled list due to inflammation in his left shoulder, perhaps handcuffing the Mariners’ ability to deal one of their top commodities as the nonwaiver trade deadline approaches.

Yankees OF on DL

New York — Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a broken left thumb, leaving the AL East leaders without their fastest player.

Auto racing

Johnson grabs Indy win

Indianapolis — Jimmie Johnson cashed in on the most expensive speeding ticket in NASCAR history, grabbing an improbable third victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when a penalty to Juan Pablo Montoya blew the race wide-open.

In a performance that mirrored his dominating Indianapolis 500 victory nine years ago, Montoya was in cruise control as he led 116 laps and built a five-second lead over the competition. Then NASCAR flagged him for speeding on a routine pit stop with 35 laps remaining, and the driver became unglued.

“I swear on my children and my wife that I was not speeding!” he shouted over his radio. “There is no way! Thank you NASCAR for screwing my day.”

Crew chief Brian Pattie begged his driver to calm down and focus on salvaging a solid points day, to no avail.

“Don’t tell me to relax, dude!” Montoya yelled. “We had this in the bag.”

Indeed he did, but the penalty took him out of contention and relegated him to an 11th-place finish. Power races to first win

Edmonton, Alberta — Will Power led from the pole and won under a caution flag at the Rexall Edmonton Indy Sunday in a race marred by a pit fire that burned driver Tony Kanaan’s hands and face.

Driver’s condition stable

Budapest, Hungary — Ferrari driver Felipe Massa remained in “life-threatening” but stable condition on Sunday following surgery on multiple skull fractures.

Peter Bazso, the AEK hospital medical director, told reporters that Massa would be kept sedated until today, but will be woken up periodically during that time.

NBA

Gooden to Mavs

Dallas — Former Kansas University power forward Drew Gooden has reached an agreement to sign a free-agent contract with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN.com has reported.

The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Gooden announced via his Twitter feed shortly past midnight Saturday that he is signing with the Mavericks. “Dallas here I come,” he wrote.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban responded on his own Twitter account: “Welcome Drew.”

ESPN.com believes Gooden will receive a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $4.5 million with incentives that likely will take it beyond $5 million. A formal announcement of the signing is expected today or Tuesday.

Golf

Roberts tops McNulty

Sunningdale, England — Loren Roberts won his second Senior British Open title on Sunday, beating Mark McNulty on the third hole of a sudden death playoff.

Fred Funk also took part in the playoff, but was eliminated on the first extra hole when he made par as Roberts and McNulty birdied. The remaining pair parred the second playoff hole before Roberts clinched victory with another par at the next hole.

Dufner leads in Canada

Oakville, Ontario — Jason Dufner played six holes in 1 under to top the Canadian Open leaderboard before play was washed out because of the latest round of heavy rain and lightning, forcing the tournament to at least a fifth day.

Miyazato wins playoff

Evian-Les-Bains, France — Ai Miyazato of Japan won the Evian Masters with a birdie on the first playoff hole, beating Sophie Gustafson of Sweden to clinch her first victory on the LPGA Tour.

Boxing

Ex-champion Forrest killed

Atlanta — Vernon Forrest, a former three-time champion who gained stardom when he became the first boxer to defeat “Sugar” Shane Mosley, was shot to death during an apparent robbery in Atlanta, police said Sunday.

Sgt. Lisa Keyes said in an e-mail Sunday that Forrest, 38, was shot several times in the back Saturday night, which an autopsy confirmed. Keyes said there are no suspects.

Swimming

Phelps off to winning start

Rome — Michael Phelps and the Americans got the best of France again in the relay. And just like Beijing, the world’s greatest swimmer owed a big hand to his teammates.

Phelps led off the 400-meter relay, his first event of the world swimming championships, but he was only third when he passed off to Ryan Lochte.

NFL

Maclin not in Eagles’ fold

Bethlehem, Pa. — Philadelphia Eagles top draft pick and former Missour reciever Jeremy Maclin remains unsigned and was a no-show on the first day of training camp.

T.O. supports Vick

Pittsford, N.Y. — Terrell Owens wants Michael Vick to be reinstated immediately by the NFL and said any extension of the quarterback’s suspension would be similar to “kicking a dead horse.”

Speaking after the Buffalo Bills training camp practice Sunday morning, the star receiver referred to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of Vick’s status as “unfair.” Owens also lobbied to have more of the league’s high-profile players voicing their opinion in support of Vick and asked the NFL Players Association to become more involved.

Ravens’ Bennett retires

Baltimore — Ravens wide receiver Drew Bennett announced his retirement Sunday night, just two days after signing with Baltimore.