Reggie Jackson
United States
Baseball
B: May 18, 1946
Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Jackson's father Martinez Jackson had played in the Negro Leagues. Reggie attended Arizona State University on a football scholarship, then switched to baseball following his freshman year. He was the second selection in baseball's 1966 amateur draft, chosen by the Kansas City Athletics. Debuting with the Kansas City A's in 1967, the year before they moved to Oakland. Jackson hit 47 home runs in 1969, and was briefly ahead of Roger Maris' record pace. He was the M.V.P. of the 1971 All-Star Game at Tiger Stadium in Detroit hitting a massive home run off a transformer on the roof. The A's won the Western Division in 1972; the League Championship Series with the Tigers went five games, and Jackson scored the tying run in the clincher on a steal of home. In the process, however, he tore a hamstring and was unable to play in the World Series. The A's still managed to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in seven games. He helped the A's win the pennant again in 1973, Jackson was the American League M.V.P. as he led the league in both home runs and R.B.I.'s. The A's defeated the Mets in seven hard-fought games in the World Series. This time, Reggie was not only able to play, but his performance led to his being awarded the Series' Most Valuable Player award. Jackson was traded on April 2, 1976 to the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees signed Jackson to a five-year contract, totaling $2.96 million, on November 29, 1976. Jackson's crowning achievement came with his three-home-run performance in Game 6, each on the first pitch, off three different Dodger pitchers. Jackson became the first player to win the World Series M.V.P. award for two different teams. In 27 World Series games, he amassed 10 home runs, including five during the 1977 Series, 24 RBI and a .357 batting average. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner chose not to re-sign Jackson after the 1981 season. Jackson singed a five-year contract with the California Angels. On September 17, 1984, he hit his 500th home run. In 1987, he signed a one-year contract to return to the A's, he announced he would retire after the season, at the age of 41. Jackson played 21 seasons and reached the post-season in 11 of them, winning six pennants and five World Series. he hit 563 career home runs (sixth all-time at the time of his retirement), had a .490 career slugging percentage, was named to 14 All-Star teams, and was also the all-time leader in strikeouts with 2,597. During the spare time of his active career, Jackson worked as a field reporter and color commentator for ABC Sports. Jackson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.
SUPERSTARS RECORD
| EVENT |
PLACE |
POINTS |
MONEY |
EVENT WINS |
| 1974 Preliminary 3 |
2 |
37 |
$8,700 |
Weight Lifting, 100 Yard Dash, Obstacle Course |
| 1975 Superteams Baseball Preliminary |
2 |
$4,000 |
||
| TOTALS |
|
37 |
$12,700 |
3 |
PERSONAL BESTS
| Tennis |
5th |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| Weight Lifting | 200 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| Golf - 9 holes | 48 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| Bowling | 170 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| 100 Yard Dash |
10.94 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| Bike Race - Half Mile | 1:15.48 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| Bike Race - Mile | 3:03.00 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| Obstacle Course |
27.70 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |
| Points Scored |
37 |
1974 Preliminary 3 |