TAMPA, FL – While the Yankees are training down in Tampa for the 2024 season there was another show a few miles away at the Hard Rock Café. The Jacksons performed their hits that we all grew up to. The sounds of ABC, I’ll Be There, and Never Can Say Goodbye, energized the audience and brought back memories from the way it was. Jackie, Tito, and Marlon interacted with the crowd the way ballplayers did with their fans.
A debate started afterwards, when I asked the three who was the better baseball player. The eldest brother, Jackie, replied, “I was!” He went on to brag about his shortstop skills. Marlon seemed to agree, while Tito tuned out his big brother.
Jackie also made it known that he is a huge Dodgers fan, while Marlon noted he roots for the Houston Astros. He was surprised when I informed him that another Jackson was employed by them in a front office position. “Would that be Reggie?” he asked with a pleasantly surprised look on his face.
They performed as if a pitch clock was ticking away, and for their show (a little over an hour), The Jackson 3 had everyone shaking their bodies down to the ground. Their everlasting fan base enjoyed themselves while Michael’s spirit was on the stage during the Rock With You performance.
It would have been really nice if the team with its storied past would have had the Jacksons perform the National Anthem, and letting Jackie take some cuts during batting practice. The creativity quotient is lacking in the Yankees publicity dept., so let them imagine that a World Championship is on the horizon after a non-playoff appearance last year.
