HOUSTON, TX – Mr. Reginald Martinez Jackson celebrated his 76th birthday this past May 18th. Stop right here if you think he’s ancient. “Mr. October” still has the magnitude to get people excited whenever he’s in their presence.
Whether he’s in a sweet or sour mood, the public still lines up for an autograph or selfie with the man who has created too many memories on both coasts. The man, who was the baddest dude in the majors when he played, still has a sharp mind, and the N.Y. Yankees were foolish to have let him walk away to the Houston Astros.
When he was employed in Yankeeland, I would plead to the late Co-Chairperson, Hank Steinbrenner, to create an extra role for Reggie. With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton being the two boppers, Jackson would have been the perfect “Power-hitting coach” for the duo. The Yankees braintrust chose to use him as a hood ornament from their past when he had so much more to offer, both on and off the field. His theory of being in a hitting slump is by far one of the best comparisons ever. Mr. Jackson stated, “So many ideas come to mind when you’re in a hitting slump that you want to try them all. You’re like a mosquito in a nudist camp, you don’t know where to start.” 
Only the owner of ten world championship rings, Yogi Berra, could compare to Jackson’s memorable quotes. Coincidentally, Berra also wound up in an Astros uniform after leaving the Yankees. New York’s loss is Houston’s gain.
Don’t cry for this Hall of Famer. He has too much on his plate with the opening of a Honda car dealership in North Carolina, that bears his name, along with an upcoming documentary that will have viewer’s jaws dropping.
It was one year ago when a big bash was held in Las Vegas celebrating Jackson’s milestone 75th birthday. A Who’s Who of the sports world attended the affair. Jackson was left humbled when Motown legend Smokey Robinson sang Stevie Wonder’s version of “Happy Birthday” to him. Smokey kept instilling to the birthday boy that, “People are going to call you old. You’re not old, you are not old.”
With batting averages in the sub .200 mark of these current so-called studs of today, I’m betting that Mr. October can at least hit his weight, at the age of 76. The man refuses to let “the old man” get inside him and has more swagger than most of these hipsters. Just check out his sneakers when you’re in his circle. His kicks would be appreciated by any sneaker-head, and if Michael Jordan can still have a sneaker line, then why not baseball’s greatest postseason hitter?
Happy Birthday, Jax, and keep creating memories like you did for me when Smokey sang for you.
