Reggie Jackson: Summer of '77 Exclusive Interview

But being a black man, his outspokenness wasn't gong to be tolerated.There is no way the fly ball vs. Boston could've been caught, but his lack of hustle did allow Rice to advance to second. Martin had no business taking him out of the game in that manner. He could have waited until the inning was over.Martin, a great manager, was a drunk, and known to butt heads with team superstars, such as Jim Sundberg in Texas.

The one and only...Mr. October.

Reggie had an ego, but so what he won World Series titles and came through in big time situations.

It's not bragging if you can do it.

I'm a Red Sox fan but even I can admit nobody was COOLER than Reggie.

There were better players. Rod Carew, George Brett and Dave Parker were better all around players.

And guys like Stargell, Rose and Garvey were all big in the big games.

But there was something about Reggie and his big ego that was just larger than life and fun

I dont know if you can believe all the 70s press hype about him being such a jerk. reggie enjoyed his success and was no more arrogant than the high paid athletes and rappers and hip hop music celebries of today. I think in these later day interviews as an older aging man, reggie sounds like a decent guy. a humble guy. a reasonably nice guy. I never hear of him having any wife or kids. no reflection on him. some people go the path of the lifelong batchelor.

Reggie Jackson broke my heart when he left Baltimore for the hated Yankees in the winter of 1976,but the Baseball Gods gave both the yankees and Orioles AL Pennetts and World Championships so it all turned out for the best i suppose.Reggie was one of the few players i payed to see back in those days.Earl Weaver found a way to replace his 27 homers by using his brain to figure out that Lowenstein/Roenickee/and Ayala
combining for 45 homers was better than Reggies 27 homers and $600,00 salary.

More so during that era in baseball.Billy martin had a hard on for him from jump street before reggie even signed a contract. BM wanted Joe Rudi over Reggie,please give me a break. Joe Rudi was a well rounded ball player but not a reggie jackson type. Yanks would had never saw the 1977 w.s. period. Everone talks about bucky dent homer 2 fenway" classic shot" but no seems to recall the winning run that won the game. "REGGIES HOMER IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH OFF OF BOB STANLEY"

10 - 15 YRS PRIOR TO REGGIE COMING TO N.Y. The yanks only had a few black ball players who bit his own tounge & never spoke his mind. Reggie spoke his mind was a proven winner & was a team player. Look @ the A's of the 70's. Those teams battled with each other more than the yanks & they won 3 straight world series. The problem is no one really likes to see a black man/ball player speak out .

Exactly.

Of course the press pushed buttons more because he was black. If craig nettles said something similar or close to that, no one would have took out the microscope.This country is built on racism. I'm not sure of your age @ the time during the 1970's. New york was a city under fire .N.Y.C. unemployment was through the roof & most if not all minorites felt that pain. It did not matter who you were, if you lived in n.y. & had 5% hispanic or black blood you felt the racism.