On this Day In Sports on August 17,1985, Reginald Martinez Jackson smashed his 522nd homer off Oaklands Bill Krueger to move past the great Ted Williams and Willie McCovey on MLBs all-time home run list. Jackson was the 39-year-old veteran slugger on the California Angels and in the twilight of a legendary career.
When you mention Black Knights, feared sluggers and the most clutch baseball players to ever walk the earth, Jackson is in that mix. He had the swag as leader of a dynasty Oakland As Green Machine that won three-straight World Series back in the early ’70s.
He crashed the New York city scene in the late ’70s and helped rejuvenate a stagnant Yankees franchise, leading them back to glory with two World Series ring raids (1977-78).
Reggie was black, proud and confident of his abilities. He once started a media firestorm by calling himself, the straw that stirs the (Yankees) drink.
Reggie Jackson | Career Highlights
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Jackson was a lightening-rod and he electrified, intrigued and captivated The Big Apple with his brash demeanor and his historic World Series power exploits – unduplicated to this day.
In Game 6 of the 1977 World Series playing under immense pressure, media attack and a nasty public feud with his manager Billy Martin, Jackson hit three homers on three separate pitchers’ first pitches, cementing his legend as “Mr. October” and setting a Hall of Fame standard for big city boppers playing in the media mecca of the universe.
1977 WS Gm6: Reggie becomes Mr. October
10/18/77: Reggie Jackson hits three homers on three pitchers’ first pitches, cementing his legend as “Mr. October” Check out http://m.mlb.com/video for our full archive of videos, and subscribe on YouTube for the best, exclusive MLB content: http://youtube.com/MLB About MLB.com: Commissioner Allan H.
Jackson starred for five world championship teams and slugged 563 home runs during a 21-year Hall of Fame career. He is one of the most influential and popular Black Knights to ever play in MLB.
Reggie Jackson 1980’s Panasonic Commercial #2
Reggie Jackson 1980’s Panasonic Commercial #2
