The great Reggie Jackson also known as “Mr. October” has a new documentary on Amazon Prime Video that premiered on March 24. The documentary, “REGGIE,” takes a look back at the career of the former New York Yankees great. It details Reggie’s life and on and off the field, and gives us viewers “a definitive, firsthand account of five-time World Series Champion, beloved New York icon, and one of baseball’s most influential superstars.”
During Jackson’s rounds to discuss the documentary, he appeared on shock jock Howard Stern’s SiriusXM radio show. At that time Jackson, who was no stranger to controversy discussed a myriad of topics, one being his off-the-field life as it pertained to cheating.
“It wasn’t hard for me to open my heart, but it was hard for me to be loyal,” Jackson admitted to Stern.
“As a man. I cheated a lot.”
Jackson continued …
“I won’t blame it on any excuse. I just cheated. I saw a pretty girl and I tried to sleep with her.”
Stern Mentions The Reggie Bar As A Barometer Of Jackson’s Fame
When Jackson signed as a free agent with the Yankees in 1976, the brash but supremely talented slugger predicted that someone would name a candy bar after him. In fact the same company that created the “Baby Ruth” in 1921 in honor of Yankees legend Babe Ruth, also created the “Reggie! Bar.”
During the interview Stern mentioned that Jackson’s fame and the temptations that came with being Mr. October definitely played a role in his off the field infidelities. While Jackson didn’t deny it, he also didn’t lay blame on anyone but himself.
“I won’t blame it on that either,” Reggie replied. “I just won’t blame it on that. I had access to and I took advantage of it, and I missed a couple of wonderful ladies in my life, and it was my fault.
“I didn’t get it. I have a wonderful daughter. I wasn’t married when I had her, but what an unbelievable experience, and she’s given me two grandchildren, two boys, and one of the kids, poor son of a gun, he looks just like me.”
To hear Reggie take responsibility for his actions and not try to deflect from any of his shortcomings is amazing and shows that side of him that we didn’t get to see because of how enamored fans were with what he could do at the plate.
How Did Jackson Become Mr. October?
With Jackson struggling most of the 1977 MLB playoffs and having just one hit in 14 at-bats against the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS, Yankees manager Billy Martin benched Jackson for Game 5. Martin called on Jackson in the eighth inning of that deciding game, and the slugger immediately paid dividends, slapping an RBI single in a 5-3 Bronx Bombers win that advanced them to the World Series.
Jackson’s three-HR outing in the decisive Game 6 of the Fall Classic is where he solidified the name Mr. October, becoming just the second player MLB history at the time to do so in a World Series, along with the aforementioned Ruth in 1926 and 1928. Since then Albert Pujols (2011) and Pablo Sandoval (2012) have also accomplished this rare feat.
In his career Jackson made 14 All-Star appearances, won one AL MVP (1973 with Oakland A’s) and 553 home runs. Jackson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.
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