Click here to watch the video: Reggie hits three homers becomes Mr. October 

MR. OCTOBER

Through the first five games of the 1977 World Series with the Dodgers Yankee slugger Reggie Jackson was having a fine series. In Game Six with the Yankees up three games to two Jackson earned his nickname. Jackson homered on three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers to put the game and the Series away. Jackson was the first player to hit three home runs in a World Series game since Babe Ruth turned the trick in 1926 and 1928. He was an easy choice for the Series MVP and the nickname “Mr. October.”

REGGIE’S EARLY YEARS

Was there ever a player who invited pressure as much as Reggie Jackson did? It is unlikely. He did it with the force of his personality. And few players have ever met high expectations better than he did. Reggie was one of the big stars of the game beginning in the late ‘60s. Despite playing in the small market of Oakland he made himself into one of baseball’s best known players helping the Athletics to five consecutive division titles and three consecutive World Championships winning an MVP award hitting a historic home run over the roof of Tiger Stadium in an All-Star Game and even early in his career making a serious challenge to Roger Maris’ single season home run record even though he fell short at the end. He was after all was said and done a guy you paid to see.

He hit with power he stole bases and his strikeouts while many were part of the show. In 1974 Reggie’s Oakland teammate Catfish Hunter became baseball’s first million-dollar free agent taking advantage of a missed payment to be so declared by an arbitrator. Two years later with a formal free agency structure in place and a market value having been established for a big star Reggie was in the spotlight in the game’s first class of free agents. He had spent the ‘76 season in Baltimore did not sign and now was able to sit back and await his dollars. “If I ever played in New York” he said “they’d name a candy bar after me.” It was a funny yet prophetic comment made by a player who was positioning himself to take big dollars in the big market town of New York. Although Jackson had impressive offers from many teams George Steinbrenner wanted Reggie and Reggie wanted the Yankees. Not only did Reggie join the team in 1977 but also in that first season a candy bar-the “Reggie” Bar-was indeed introduced in New York.

THE STRAW THAT STIRS THE DRINK

For Reggie however that first season of a five-year contract was not a happy one. Before he even reported to spring training he told a national magazine that he was the “straw that stirs the drink.” This immediately set him on the outs with his new teammates. He also failed to establish a good relationship with his fiery manager Billy Martin who didn ‘t want him on the team and considered him to be “George’s boy.” When Reggie failed to hustle after a fly ball in Boston Billy pulled him out of the game and the two almost came to blows in the dugout on national television. He was in the manager’s doghouse all season and Martin embarrassed him again in the ALCS benching him in the final game because of a brief batting slump. A pinch hit by Reggie late in that game helped the Yankees win the pennant and they found themselves facing their historic rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. For Reggie it was a return to October Baseball-and he would soon earn the nickname of “Mr. October.”

Reggie’s slump continued in the first two games with just one bloop single in Yankee Stadium. But he came alive in the middle games homering in the fourth game and again in his last time up in the fifth. Now he was home in Yankee Stadium the “House that Ruth Built” with the Yanks needing one victory for their first world championship in 15 years. The network cameras were rolling and Reggie was up for the moment.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Game Six October 18 1977. He walked his first time up and then took Burt Hooton’s fourth-inning pitch and homered to right to put the Yankees on top 4-3. The scoreboard urged the fans on posting REGGIE REG-GIE and the fans responded. In the fifth Elias Sosa was on the mound. First pitch to Jackson and there it went another two-run homer to right deeper than the first one and the Yankees now led 7-3! In the last of the eighth Reggie came up again facing knuckleballer Charlie Hough. And once again there it went soaring deep into center deeper than the others! It was a three-home run game a Yankee championship and Reggie became the first man to ever hit five home runs in a World Series. He would be Mr. October forever after.

A JERSEY FOR THE AGES

It is our privilege to present the most historically significant game worn baseball jersey of the modern era. Reggie Jackson’s 1977 New York Yankees home jersey worn during his epic three home run performance in Game Six of the World Series is completely original including the classic “NY” crest on the left breast and number “44” in blue on back. Manufactured by Wilson (size 44) it features his last name “Jackson” and “77 2” chain stitched in the collar. Prior to this offering the jersey has been kept and preserved by Reggie himself as the centerpiece to his personal collection of career mementos. It remains exactly as it was when Jackson wore it on that unforgettable October evening that turned the baseball world on its head.

Includes a signed LOA from Reggie Jackson.