Jackson, "Reggie" (Reginald M.)
Baseball
b. May 18, 1946, Wyncote, PA
Nicknamed "Mr. October" for his World Series heroics, the outspoken Jackson joined the Kansas City Athletics during the 1967 season. The team moved to Oakland in 1968 and Jackson led the AL in runs scored with 123 and in slugging percentage with .608 in 1969, when he had 47 home runs and 118 RBI.
From 1971 through 1975, Jackson helped lead the Athletics to five straight division titles, four pennants, and three consecutive world championships, from 1972 through 1974. He was named the league's most valuable player in 1973, when he led the league with 99 runs scored, 32 home runs, 117 RBI, and a .531 slugging percentage. Jackson was the home run leader again with 36 in 1975.
Jackson missed the 1972 World Series with a pulled hamstring, but he batted .310 with 1 home run and RBI when the As beat the New York Mets in seven games in 1973, and he hit .286 with 1 home run, 1 RBI and 3 runs scored in their five-game victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1974.
He was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1976, when he led the league with a .502 slugging percentage, and he then went to the New York Yankees. Announcing "I'm the straw that stirs the drink" when he arrived, Jackson stirred the anger of team captain Thurman Munson and had frequent clashes with manager Billy Martin, but he helped lead the Yankees to the world championship in 1977, their first since 1962.
After hitting 32 home runs and driving in 110 runs during the regular season, Jackson hit .450 with 5 home runs, 8 RBI, and 10 runs scored when the Yankees beat the Dodgers in a six-game World Series. He set a Series record by hitting home runs in four consecutive at-bats. The first came in his last time up in the fifth game. After walking in his first appearance in the sixth game, Jackson homered in the fourth, fifth, and eighth innings. Each home run came on the first pitch.
The Yankees beat the Dodgers in six games again in 1978, with Jackson batting .391 with 2 home runs, 2 runs scored, and 8 RBI. He led the league in home runs for a third time with 41 in 1980. Bothered by injuries in 1981, he appeared in only 94 games and then went to the California Angels as a free agent.
Jackson won his fourth and last home run title in 1982 with 39. In 1987, he returned to Oakland for a final season before retiring. Although he had a strong arm, Jackson was a poor defensive outfielder and was often used as a designated hitter from 1973 on.
In 21 major league seasons, he had 2,584 hits, including 463 doubles, 49 triples, and 563 home runs, sixth all-time. He scored 1,551 runs and drove 1,702.