1977 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"A superstar in thought, word and deed. He's outspoken, controversial and charismatic - and he can hit, too.
Reggie was traded to the Orioles after years of stardom in Oakland, unable to come to terms with Charlie Finley. He played out his option and became a free agent, setting off a huge bidding war.
'I'm a $2 million ballplayer,' he said. Reggie campaigned to play in the city of his choice. Cleveland? 'No way,' he said. So he settled for $2.9 million with the Yankees in the Big Apple.
Reggie missed six weeks of last season, yet still finished with 27 homers and 91 RBI.
'When he's on a hitting streak, he's devastating,' says Earl Weaver."
-Phil Pepe, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1977 Edition
"Reggie Jackson. The mere name strikes fear into the hearts of opponents. One of the most exciting, talented and colorful players in baseball, Reggie joins the Yankees in his tenth major league season.
Jackson achieved his fame in Oakland where he helped the A's to five Western Division titles and three World Championships. He is an excellent hitter, ranking third in lifetime homers among active American Leaguers. Last year, he missed a month of the season and still challenged for the home run and RBI championships.
A 'player's player,' Reggie has appeared in six All-Star Games and is best remembered for his tape-measure home run in 1971 off Dock Ellis, now his teammate. His best year was 1973 when won the American League and World Series MVP awards and was named Player of the Year by the Sporting News.
In addition to his hitting, Jackson is a fine outfielder with a powerful arm and possesses great speed, as his 181 lifetime stolen bases attest. In short, the Yankees roll out the welcome mat for one of the most complete players in the game."
-The New York Yankees Official 1977 Yearbook
"Reggie Jackson is one of baseball's most talented and exciting players. The Yankees signed him to a five-year contract after he had played out his option with Baltimore. Reggie was an Oriole for only one season, achieving his fame and following as a member of the Athletics from 1967-1975. He helped the A's to five Western Division titles and three World Championships.
At the age of 30, he is already approaching 300 home runs, a feat achieved by only 37 players in history. Only Boog Powell and Carl Yastrzemski have more lifetime homers among active American Leaguers. Reggie led the league in home runs in 1973 and tied for the lead in 1975. Three times he has led the league in slugging percentage, including last season. In 1969, he challenged the Maris home run record and wound up with a career high of 47 homers. In 1975, he became the only player to homer in all 12 American League parks in one season.
Reggie did not report to the Orioles last season until April 30, but still wound up tied for second in the league in home runs (27), behind Graig Nettles. Reggie also finished in the top ten in RBIs (91) in 1976, and had a career high in stolen bases (28).
Reggie has made six All-Star teams, and is remembered for his tape-measure home run in Detroit in the 1971 game, a shot that bounced off the transformer on the right field roof in Tiger Stadium. He was the top vote-getter in the 1974 balloting among fans.
The holder of 10 ALCS records including most games and times at bat, Reggie missed the 1972 World Series after a pulled hamstring injury in a play at the plate in the final game of the ALCS against Billy Martin's Tigers.
In 1973, Reggie was MVP in the American League and MVP in the World Series. He was also the Sporting News Major League Player of the Year.
He holds the A.L. record of striking out over 100 times for nine straight years. Reggie has a high strikeout rate but has cut that down over the years.
He's a fine outfielder with a powerful arm. In short, one of the most complete players in the game.
The A's Player Representative for four years, off and on, Oakland traded him, along with Ken Holtzman, to Baltimore. Reggie served as a commentator for ABC on the network telecast of the ALCS last fall and received great praise for his work.
Reggie was one of six children born to Martinez and Clara Jackson, just outside of Philadelphia; his father was a tailor. A three-sport star at Cheltenham High School near Philly, where he ran the 100 in 9.7, was a halfback on the football team and pitched three no-hitters, Reggie batted .550 in his senior year and got a scholarship to Arizona State, where he played baseball and football.
He was drafted number one by the A's in 1966 and left after his sophomore year for a reported $95,000 bonus. In 1967, he was Player of the Year in the Southern League and reached the majors by the end of the season.
Reggie played golf with President Ford."
-1977 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
"One of the most exciting players in the game, Jackson is rapidly approaching 300 career home runs with 294 as of July 5. He was MVP in 1973 and in that year's World Series as well. He hit .302 in two World Series with Oakland (he was replaced due to an injury in the 1972 Classic).
Reggie hit a tremendous two-run homer in the American League's 6-4 All-Star victory at Detroit in 1971. He led the AL in home runs in 1973 (32) and 1975 (36) and had 47 round-trippers in 1969 to finish third.
This is Reggie's seventh All-Star appearance."
-1977 All-Star Game Official Program
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