Reggie Jackson Biography
New York Yankees - Oakland A's - California Angels
The best baseball players stir strong emotions. They are either adored or despised. Incredibly, Reggie Jackson managed to stir up both emotions at the same time. No one could stand him, not the fans, not the media, and especially not his teammates. Yet they all admired and respected him for who he was on the baseball field and what he could do as a player. The result was the most famous love / hate relatinship in all of baseball.Reggie Jackson's home runs were epic, his strikeouts thrilling, and his clashes with the the front office was legendary. "The best thing about being a NY Yankee," Graig Nettles once said, "is getting to watch Reggie play every day. The worst thing? Getting to watch Reggie play every day."
The fact is, just about everything anyone had to say about Reggie Jackson was true, and he adored every word of it. Reggie didn't even care when the fans let him have it from the stands. "They don't boo nobodies," he would always say. He loved the limelight and relished being the center of attention. It's no wonder that he did his best work on baseball's biggest stage, the World Series.
In 1973, Reggie Jackson led the Oakland A's to the World Series Championship and won the MVP by sinking the New York Mets with a dramatic home run in the deciding game. In 1977, he put on a one man show for the Yankees, clubbing five homers against the Los Angeles Dodgers, including three in the final game. The following year he destroyed the Dodgers again with 8 RBI's in 6 baseball games.
"Mr. October", as he was nicknamed, played in the World Series five times and led his teams to four World Series Championships. Who could blame Reggie for saying, "The only reason I don't like playing in the World Series is that I can't watch myself play."
Love Reggie Jackson, or hate him, he was indeed a wonder to behold in baseball. Given his ability to deliver under such intense pressure, it's hard to fault him for being his own biggest fan.
Reggie Jackson Timeline Biography
- Age 4 : Parents divorce. Reggie and 2 brothers live with their dad, while his 3 sisters go to live with their mom.
- Age 15 : at 6' and 175 lbs, starts playing in adult leagues.
- Age 17 : Accepts baseball scholarship to college at Arizona State University.
- Age 20 : NCAA Player of the Year. Drafted No 2 in the first round by KC Athletics. Signs for $85,000 bonus.
- Age 21 : named Southern League Player of the Year. Promoted to the Major Leagues in August 1967.
- 1973 : American League MVP.
- 1978 : Wins 4th World Series Championship.
- 1984 : Hits 500th career home run.
- 1987 : Reggie Jackson retires from baseball.
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