ST PETERSBURG, FL – On May 18th, Mr. October reached another milestone, he turned 80 years old. It was five years ago when Reggie Jackson held a big bash for his 75th birthday when singer Smokey Robinson told him, “Don’t let them tell you that you’re getting old,” before he sang Stevie Wonder’s version of Happy Birthday for him.
Jackson is far from old, as he has been staying quite occupied the last five years. He was with the Houston Astros for a while, advising their owner, Jim Crane, on what it takes to be a winner. He also has been involved in a couple of car dealerships bearing his name and re-released the Reggie Bar, the candy bar that interrupted the 1978 season opener at Yankee Stadium after fans sprayed the field with them when he homered. On top of that he hosts the Mr. October Foundation Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament, which is a star studded charity event that raises money for STEM education programs.
The magnitude of remaining Reggie is to stay busy, and that he has. He remains a quote machine that opens up eyes and ears. His honest response a few years ago to Alex Rodriguez’s question about his emotions returning to Birmingham, Alabama, where he played minor league baseball in 1967, was as raw as can be. It was a perfect example of, the truth hurts, that left A-Rod, Derek Jeter and David Ortiz speechless.
I remember telling the late Hank Steinbrenner that he should create a new role for Reggie. Hank said, “What would that be?” and I answered, “With all these new coaching titles, you should make him your power hitting coach and let him tutor Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.” His dad George would have jumped at my idea and then taken all the credit for Reggie’s new position.
There’s plenty of life left for Mr. Reginald Martinez Jackson. If PUMA had any sense, they would release a special edition sneaker to acknowledge next year’s 50th anniversary of Reggie’s 3-home run game, which clinched the 1977 World Championship and The Boss’ first title.
