Mr. October is the 92nd inductee into the Baseball Hall of Immortals.
Reggie Jackson not only loved the spotlight, but he was one of those rare players who seemed to only get better once the spotlight was on him.
Drafted 2nd overall in 1966, it took just about 100 minor league games before Reggie made his major league debut for the Kansas City Athletics. By his 2nd full-year in 1969, Jackson was an All-Star, belting 47 homeruns and leading the league in runs, slugging, and OPS.
While his 1969 homerun total was a career high, Reggie would hit 30 or more six more time, leading the league four times. In 1973, he led the Athletics (now in Oakland) to the World Series and garnered the season MVP award by hitting .293, and leading the league with 32 homeruns, 117 RBIs, and 99 runs scored.
Already a perenial All-Star, Reggie became a super-star when he moved to the Yankees prior to the 1977 season. It had been more than 10 years since the Yankees had won the World Series – their longest drought since before Babe Ruth. Mirroring the Babe, Reggie would lead the team to consecutive championships, winning the series MVP in 1977 when he (just as the Babe did) hit 3 homeruns in a single game.
Moving over to the Angels in 1982, Reggie would once again lead the league in homeruns with 39 roundtrippers.
Jackson retired following the 1987 season with 563 homeruns, which at the time was good for 6th all-time, plus 14 All-Star appearances and 2 World Series MVPs.
The man who had a candy bar named after him, there is no doubt that Reggie Jackson is an Immortal.
For some background on what this is, check out the introduction post here.
