Reggie Jackson will forever be remembered for his outstanding Hall of Fame career. Today, “Mr. October” celebrates his 69th birthday, and sure enough, some of his finest Yankee moments still are vividly remembered today by fans around the sport of baseball.
Jackson was drafted with the second overall pick in the 1966 amateur draft by the Kansas City Royals. The New York Mets selected Steven Chilcott with the number one overall pick in that year’s draft, a move that Jackson would make them regret down the road.
Throughout his 21-year career, Jackson was selected as an All-Star 14 times and was named the American League MVP in 1973 with the Oakland Athletics. Jackson played for five teams throughout his career, with one of them luckily being the New York Yankees.
In his five seasons in pinstripes, Jackson blasted 144 home runs in 653 games, and made All-Star appearances during each season he played in the Bronx. Even though his time with the Yankees wasn’t as long as many wished it was, Jackson’s No. 44 was retired by the Yankees and now resides in Monument Park.
Jackson quickly earned his nickname of “Mr. October,” a nickname that came about due to the fact that he dominated come postseason time. The nickname was crowned on Jackson during the 1977 World Series.
Yankees catcher Thurman Munson was being interviewed by the media, and someone asked about Reggie’s post-season performances. Munson told the reporter to “Go ask Mister October,” and the nickname stuck for good.
He was a huge part of the Yankees success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, as he was a key part of two World Series teams (1977 and 1978). If it wasn’t for an injury during the playoff run in 1981, the Yankees could possibly have had another World Series title under their belts.
Jackson was known for his crucial clutch performances in the Yankees World Series runs. One moment that will always be remembered was his three home run game in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series:
The unique thing about Jackson’s performance that night was this: He hit three home runs, against three different pitchers, and all three were on the first pitch of the at-bat. Talk about not wasting any time at the plate!
Of course, along with Jackson’s dominance on the field, we can’t forget about the character that he brought to the table as well. While playing in Baltimore for the 1976 season, Jackson made a statement, saying, “If I played in New York, they’d name a candy bar after me.”
Sure enough, when Jackson signed in New York, that’s exactly what they did:
When the candy bar was released, fans who attended a game at Yankee Stadium each received these circular bars that comprised of peanuts that were dipped in caramel and then were covered in chocolate. On that day, Jackson hit a home run, and as he returned to play right field, fans started throwing the bars towards him in celebration.
As we celebrate Jackson’s 69th birthday and look back on his time in pinstripes, we remember some of his fondest moments, and thank him for his contributions to the New York Yankees organization.
Of course, even at the age of 69, I’m sure he would tell you that he could still hit today (and I wouldn’t bet against him, either!)
