Reggie Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Reggie Jackson |
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Jackson with the New York Yankees in 1981
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| Right fielder | |||
| Born: May 18, 1946 Abington Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 9, 1967, for the Kansas City Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1987, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .262 | ||
| Hits | 2,584 | ||
| Home runs | 563 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,702 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1993 | ||
| Vote | 93.6% (first ballot) | ||
Reginald Martinez Jackson (born May 18, 1946) is an American former professional baseball right fielder. He played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and California Angels. Jackson was added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jackson was nicknamed "Mr. October" because he was great at hitting when it mattered most. This was especially true in important playoff games. He helped the Oakland Athletics win five straight division titles and three World Series from 1972 to 1974. Jackson also helped the New York Yankees win two World Series in 1977 and 1978. He even helped the California Angels win two division titles in 1982 and 1986. In the final game of the 1977 World Series, Jackson hit three home runs in a row at Yankee Stadium.
Jackson hit 563 career home runs, which is a lot! He was an American League (AL) All-Star 14 times. He won two Silver Slugger Awards and the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1973. He also won two World Series MVP Awards. The Yankees and Athletics retired his uniform numbers to honor him. Jackson now works as a special advisor for the Houston Astros. He was part of their championship win in the 2022 World Series.
Jackson's teams finished in first place ten times during his 21-year career. He only had two losing seasons, showing how much he helped his teams win.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Jackson was born in Wyncote, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. His father, Martinez Jackson, was a former baseball player. He played for the Newark Eagles in the Negro league baseball. Reggie's parents separated when he was four years old. His father raised Reggie and one of his siblings.
Jackson went to Cheltenham High School. He was excellent in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. In football, he hurt his knee badly twice. Doctors even told him he might not walk or play sports again. But Reggie proved them wrong! In baseball, he was a great hitter, batting .550. He also pitched several no-hitters.
College Sports and Early Career
Many colleges wanted Jackson for football, including Alabama and Oklahoma. But he chose Arizona State University for a football scholarship. His high school coach knew the ASU football coach, Frank Kush. They talked about Reggie playing both football and baseball.
One day, Jackson asked the ASU baseball coach, Bobby Winkles, if he could join the team. The next day, he hit three home runs in five tries! He was allowed to practice with the team. After his first year, Jackson decided to focus only on baseball. He didn't want to play football anymore.
Joining the Minor Leagues
In the 1966 Major League Baseball draft, the Kansas City Athletics picked Jackson. He was the second player chosen overall. Jackson signed with the A's for $95,000. He started playing for the Lewiston Broncs in Idaho.
He played for two Class A teams in 1966. He hit 21 home runs for Modesto. In 1967, he played for the Birmingham A's in Alabama. He was one of the few Black players on the team. He said his manager, John McNamara, helped him a lot that year.
Major League Baseball Career
Kansas City / Oakland Athletics (1967–1975)
Jackson started playing in the major leagues for the A's in 1967. His first game was on June 9 in Kansas City. He got his first hit, a triple, in that game.
The Athletics moved to Oakland before the 1968 season. In 1969, Jackson hit 47 home runs. He was even ahead of the pace to break the single-season home run record for a short time.
In 1971, the Athletics won their division. It was their first title since 1931. They lost in the playoffs to the Baltimore Orioles. The A's won the division again in 1972. Jackson helped them win a key game by stealing home base. But he hurt his hamstring and couldn't play in the World Series. Even without him, the A's beat the Cincinnati Reds in seven games. It was Oakland's first major sports championship.
During spring training in 1972, Jackson grew a mustache. The team owner, Charlie O. Finley, liked it so much he paid other players to grow mustaches too!
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| Reggie Jackson's number 9 was retired by the Oakland Athletics in 2004. |
Jackson helped the Athletics win the championship again in 1973. He was named the American League's Most Valuable Player. The A's beat the New York Mets in a tough seven-game World Series. This time, Jackson played and was named the Series MVP. He hit two-run home runs in the final game. The A's won the World Series again in 1974. They beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
Jackson hit 254 home runs in nine years with the Athletics. He was known for being a strong personality. His teammate, Darold Knowles, once joked, "There isn't enough mustard in the world to cover Reggie Jackson." This meant Reggie was a big show-off.
In 1974, Jackson got into a fight with teammate Billy North in the clubhouse. Jackson hurt his shoulder. Another teammate, Ray Fosse, was hurt trying to break up the fight. Despite this, the A's won their third straight World Series that year.
In 1975, the A's won their fifth straight division title. But they lost in the playoffs to the Boston Red Sox.
Baltimore Orioles (1976)
Before the 1976 season, Jackson was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He played only one season there. He stole 28 bases, which was his career best. The Orioles finished second in their division that year.
New York Yankees (1977–1981)
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| Reggie Jackson's number 44 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1993. |
The Yankees signed Jackson to a big five-year contract in 1976. He chose number 44 to honor Hank Aaron, a famous home run hitter.
Jackson's first season with the Yankees in 1977 was tough. The team's manager, Billy Martin, did not like him. Jackson was quoted saying, "This team, it all flows from me. I'm the straw that stirs the drink." This made his teammates, especially Thurman Munson, upset.
In June, Martin took Jackson out of a game after he didn't try hard enough to field a ball. They argued in the dugout, and coaches had to hold Martin back. This fight was shown on TV across the country. The Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner, stepped in. He told Martin to let Jackson bat cleanup, or he would lose his job. Jackson's hitting got better, and the team started winning. The Yankees won their division and then the American League pennant.
Mr. October
During the World Series against the Dodgers, Thurman Munson called Jackson "Mister October." This nickname stuck because of Jackson's amazing playoff performances. Jackson hit home runs in Games Four and Five of the Series.
Jackson's most famous moment was in Game Six of the 1977 World Series. He hit three home runs, each on the first pitch, off three different Dodgers pitchers! His third home run was a huge shot, traveling 475 feet. Jackson had hit four home runs on four straight swings against four different pitchers. He became the first player to win the World Series MVP award for two different teams. Only Babe Ruth, Albert Pujols, and Pablo Sandoval have also hit three home runs in a single World Series game.
As the game ended, fans were so excited they started climbing over the walls. Jackson ran off the field quickly, pushing past some fans to get to safety.
The Bronx Zoo
In 1978, the Yankees introduced the "Reggie!" candy bar. Jackson hit a home run in that game. Fans celebrated by throwing the candy bars onto the field!
The Yankees were called "The Bronx Zoo" because of all the drama. Manager Billy Martin lost control of the team. He even said bad things about Jackson and Steinbrenner. Martin resigned and was replaced by Bob Lemon.
The Yankees were 14 games behind the Boston Red Sox in July. But they caught up and tied for first place! They won a special playoff game against the Red Sox. Jackson hit a home run in that game that helped them win. The Yankees then won the American League Championship Series.
Jackson was again a key player in the 1978 World Series against the Dodgers. The Yankees won the series in six games. Jackson hit a two-run home run in the final game.
In 1979, Jackson accidentally caused teammate Goose Gossage to injure his thumb in a fight. Gossage missed three months. Jackson also missed a month with an injury.
1980–81 Seasons
In 1980, Jackson batted .300, his best average ever. He also led the American League with 41 home runs. But the Yankees lost in the playoffs to the Kansas City Royals. He won his first Silver Slugger Award that year.
In 1981, Jackson had problems with owner George Steinbrenner. Jackson wanted a new contract, but Steinbrenner didn't give him one. Jackson started the season slowly. After a player strike, Steinbrenner made Jackson take a physical exam. Jackson was very angry. But his hitting improved, and the Yankees won the pennant again. Jackson got hurt in the playoffs and missed the first two games of the 1981 World Series. The Yankees won those games, but then lost the next four and the Series to the Dodgers.
California Angels (1982–1986) and Oakland Athletics (1987)
After 1981, Jackson became a free agent again. The owner of the California Angels, Gene Autry, signed him to a five-year contract.
In 1982, Jackson returned to Yankee Stadium with the Angels. He hit a home run off his old teammate, Ron Guidry. Yankees fans cheered for Jackson and booed Steinbrenner for letting him leave. The Angels won their division in 1982 and 1986. But they lost in the playoffs both times.
On September 17, 1984, Jackson hit his 500th career home run. It was the 17th anniversary of his first home run!
In 1987, Jackson signed a one-year contract to return to the A's. He wore number 44. He announced he would retire after that season. In his last game, he got a single. He was the last player in the major leagues to have played for the Kansas City Athletics.
Legacy
Jackson played 21 seasons and made it to the playoffs in 11 of them. He won six pennants and five World Series. He only had two losing seasons in his career. This shows how much he helped his teams win. He hit 563 career home runs, which was sixth all-time when he retired. He was named to 14 All-Star teams.
Jackson also holds the record for the most strikeouts in MLB history, with 2,597. He is the first player to hit 100 home runs for three different teams: the Athletics, Yankees, and Angels.
With the Yankees, Jackson was always in the news. His teammate Tommy John said Jackson helped the team by taking attention away from other players.
Post-Playing Career
After he stopped playing, Jackson worked as a special advisor for the New York Yankees.
In 2021, Jackson joined the Houston Astros as a special advisor to the owner. He helped with community programs and diversity efforts. When the Astros won the 2022 World Series in 2022, it was Jackson's first championship with the team. He left his role in 2024 to spend more time with his family.
Personal Life
Reggie Jackson married Jennie Campos during his first year at Arizona State. They later separated in 1973. He has one child, a daughter named Kimberly, born in the late 1980s.
Interesting Facts about Reggie Jackson
- While still playing baseball, Jackson worked as a reporter and commentator for ABC Sports.
- He presented the World Series Trophy in 1983, 1985, and 1987.
- Jackson appeared in several movies, including The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! and Richie Rich.
- From 1981 to 1985, he hosted Reggie Jackson's World of Sports for Nickelodeon.
- He co-wrote a book in 2010 called Sixty-Feet Six-Inches with fellow Hall of Famer Bob Gibson.
- A baseball video game called Reggie Jackson Baseball was released for the Sega Master System in 1988.
- Jackson has had three fires affect his property. A fire at his Oakland home in 1976 destroyed his MVP award and World Series trophies. The same home burned down again in 1991, destroying more items. In 1988, a warehouse holding his valuable antique cars was damaged by fire.
Reggie Jackson Quotes
- "I feel that the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it."
- "True success is one of the greatest needs. Success is not something you stumble onto or come to by accident. It is something you must sincerely prepare for."
- "I didn't come to New York to be a star. I brought my star with me."
Post-Retirement Honors
Jackson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. He chose to wear a Yankees cap on his Hall of Fame plaque.
The Yankees retired Jackson's uniform number 44 on August 14, 1993. The Athletics retired his number 9 on May 22, 2004. He is one of only five MLB players to have different numbers retired by two teams.
In 1999, Jackson was ranked 48th on the Sporting News 100 Greatest Baseball Players list.
The Yankees honored Jackson with a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium on July 6, 2002. The plaque calls him "One of the most colorful and exciting players of his era." Many famous baseball players attended the ceremony, including Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.
Jackson loves antique cars and has owned car dealerships. He also became a top trader of sports memorabilia. He has tried to buy a major league team several times.
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In 2008, Jackson threw the first pitch at the last game at the old Yankee Stadium. He also threw the first pitch at the first game at the new Yankee Stadium.
On October 18, 2010, a New York City double-decker tour bus was decorated with Jackson's image.
On September 5, 2018, Jackson was inducted into the new Oakland Athletics Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Reggie Jackson para niños
