Since winning their first World Series in 1923, the New York Yankees became the dominant force in Major League Baseball, with a total of 20 titles over the next four decades. But that streak ended after defeating the Giants in the 1962 World Series, and winning the “Fall Classic” again became the obsession of controversial owner George Steinbrenner, who had purchased the New York team in 1973.
After a 12-year drought, the Yankees returned to the World Series in 1976, but were swept 4-0 by the "Big Red Machine" of the Cincinnati Reds.
The "Bronx Bombers" had a good team with players like Willie Randolph, Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, and Lou Piniella, but they seemed to be missing the figure that would bring back their glory. And they found that with Reggie Jackson.
How did Reggie Jackson arrive at the Yankees?
Owner of great power as a batter, Jackson began his career with the Athletics when they were still in Kansas City and won three World Series titles with the A's already established in Oakland: 1972, 1973, and 1974. Reggie was the MVP of the '73 World Series.
Frontal with the owners and confrontational with his teammates, the Athletics let him go in 1976 and after a season also marked by conflicts in Baltimore, Steinbrenner signed him for the Yankees.
Why is Reggie Jackson called "Mr. October"?
The complicated Jackson even got into a fight on the bench with the also controversial Yankees manager, Billy Martin, and was not very well-liked by his teammates due to his ego, but in the 1977 World Series he showed all his worth as a player made for playing and winning finals.
In those World Series against the Dodgers, Jackson hit six home runs and his performance in Game 6, which crowned the Yankees as champions for the first time since 1962, became historic as he hit three home runs. There he earned one of the most recognized nicknames in Major League Baseball “Mr. October”, given that the postseason month brought out the best in the number “44”.
The 1977 campaign, and Jackson's difficult relationship with Martin and Steinbrenner, was portrayed in the 2007 series, “The Bronx is Burning”.
In the 1978 season, now without Billy Martin as manager, Jackson shined once again: he hit a crucial home run in the decisive game for the American League East Division against the Red Sox at none other than Fenway Park and again in Game 6 of the World Series, also against the Dodgers, a home run of his sealed another title for New York.
After losing the 1981 World Series (yes, also against the Dodgers), Reggie Jackson signed with the California Angels, where he was key in getting them to the American League finals in 1982 and 1986. He finally retired in 1987 with the Athletics.
In a 21-year career, Jackson played in the postseason 11 times, won six league titles, and was a five-time World Series champion, in addition to being named MVP of the "Fall Classic" in 1973 and 1977. Truly, the nickname "Mr. October" that was born in the 1977 World Series against the Dodgers, honors the career of Reggie Jackson.