Editor’s note: This story was originally published on Oct 18, 2024.
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Oct. 18, 1977, Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in Game 6 of the World Series to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-4 win and a 4-2 Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers; his success in the Fall Classic earned him the nickname “Mr. October.”
Jackson is a true baseball character, a showman who happened to also be a great ballplayer. That he spent his career squabbling with his own team (such as Charlie Finley, Billy Martin, George Steinbrenner) only added to the persona.
And after the 1977 World Series, he became Mr. October.
For the record, Jackson, a hard-hitting outfielder/first baseman, played 1,045 games with the Oakland Athletics, 653 with the Yankees. He was the key position-player when the A’s won five consecutive divisional and three World Series titles in the early and mid-1970s. He also played for the Baltimore Orioles and California Angels.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.
Jackson cracked 563 homes, 14th best in MLB history, and won just about every award during his long career. He also holds the most career strikeouts record. Most notably, he was a part of a winning team for 19 of the 21 years he played. Outspoken, he did battle teammates, his managers and owners, through his career.
The ‘77 World Series was a great battle between the longtime rivals, who may meet again in a week for another World Series showdown.
The Yankees won the opener in 12 innings, but the Dodgers evened the series up in Game 2. The Yankees won the next two games, but the Dodgers stayed alive with an easy win in Game 5.
Back in New York for Game 6, the Dodgers owned a 3-2 lead after three innings, but then Jackson got to work. First came a two-run homer off Burt Hooton in the fourth. Just an inning later, Jackson again blasted a two-run shot, this one off Elias Sosa. And he finished off his power display with a solo clout off Charlie Hough in the eighth, propelling the Bronx Bombers to an 8-4 Series-clinching victory.
Thus was born Mr. October. Newspapers loved Reggie Jackson and his career exploits.
The next year, at the Yankees’ home opener, the Reggie Bar was handed out to more than 50,000 fans entering Yankee Stadium.
Jackson homered, of course, and fans showered the field with Reggie Bars.
Here are some stories from Deseret News archives about Jackson, his career and his persona:
“Mr. October defined a generation”
“Reggie to be remembered as a Yankee”
“Reggie Jackson to sell big letters from old Yankee Stadium”
“Tale of stranger in elevator keeps coming back up”
“`Mr. October’ may rejoin Yankees”
“Steroid era altered MLB record book”
“Reggie loses 35 cars in Berkeley fire”
“Jeter is the new Mr. October”
“Monkey could become Mr. October of 2002″
