# What was your opinion of Reggie Jackson? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [May 20, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562 "2021-05-20T16:20:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/1 "2021-05-20T16:20:39Z")
Great player worth of the Hall of Fame? Overrated blowhard? Somewhere in between? My opinion: he lucked into the Mr October thing with those clutch HRs. Playing for the Yankees when they were in such a spotlight in the 1970s definitely helped. Even though the candy bar was awful, no other MLB player was that big. But, he’s also Mr Strikeout and that was in an era where it wasn’t hit a homer or strike out. So, I’m in between. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/2 "2021-05-20T16:22:59Z")
He was worthy of the Hall of Fame and an overrated blowhard. The blowhard came naturally to him, he couldn’t help but blow his own horn. I think it is impressive the a Hall of Fame player managed to be overrated. He knew how to generate hype about himself. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/3 "2021-05-20T16:26:02Z")
I’m no baseball statistician, but I think a lot of big hitters also struck out a lot. I’m thinking of Dave Kingman, for example. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/4 "2021-05-20T16:27:51Z")
Dave Kingman was actually a terrible player though that could only hit homers. He’s a bad example. Reggie did strike out more than most of the other good sluggers. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/5 "2021-05-20T16:30:07Z")
As a Mets fan back then, he was the best we had in terms of hitting. It was a tough time to be a Mets fan. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/6 "2021-05-20T16:31:54Z")
To get a full understanding of Reggie, > **[Career Leaders & Records for Strikeouts | Baseball-Reference.com](https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/SO_career.shtml)** > > Career SO Leaders:1.Reggie Jackson+/2597/11418, 2.Jim Thome+/2548/10313, 3.Adam Dunn/2379/8328, 4.Sammy Sosa/2306/9896, 5.Alex Rodriguez/2287/12207, 6.Miguel Cabrera/2031/11426, 7.Andres Galarraga/2003/8916,... He is the career leader in Ks. He’s ahead of all the modern sluggers that strikeout at high rates. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/7 "2021-05-20T16:32:33Z")
In his stint with the Angels, he almost managed to unwittingly assassinate the Queen of England when she was visiting LA, but was foiled at the last minute thanks to the exploits of the LAPD’s LT Frank Drebin. Also a great player. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/8 "2021-05-20T16:34:34Z")
as a Baltimore fan, I was always resentful that he didn’t want to play for the O’s. > On April 1, 1976, Reggie Jackson was still a member of the Oakland A’s. It wasn’t until the next day, exactly a week prior to Opening Day, that A’s owner Charlie Finley, knowing he couldn’t afford to re-sign the pending free agent that fall, shipped Jackson, lefty starter Ken Holtzman, and a minor leaguer to the Orioles for outfielder Don Baylor, and right-handers Mike Torrez and Paul Mitchell. Stunned by the swap and already dissatisfied by his salary for the coming season, Jackson refused to report to the Orioles until the team agreed to increase his salary from $165,000 to $200,000, missing the first 16 games of the season in the process. > **[Reggie Jackson in Orange and Black: A Lost Classic](https://www.camdenchat.com/2013/1/18/3889674/reggie-jackson-baltimore-orioles-year-in-orange-and-black-a-lost-classic)** > > Cliff Corcoran unearths a season that should be better appreciated with the help of a few baseball cards that don't exist, but should. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/9 "2021-05-20T16:34:57Z")
[For the Hall of Fame part](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacksre01.shtml#all_hof_other): ## Hall of Fame Statistics [Black Ink](https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/leader_glossary.shtml#black_ink) Batting - **35** (47), _Average HOFer ≈ 27_ [Gray Ink](https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/leader_glossary.shtml#gray_ink) Batting - **175** (60), _Average HOFer ≈ 144_ [Hall of Fame Monitor](https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/leader_glossary.shtml#hof_monitor) Batting - **170** (67), _Likely HOFer ≈ 100_ [Hall of Fame Standards](https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/leader_glossary.shtml#hof_standard) Batting - **54** (72), _Average HOFer ≈ 50_ [JAWS](https://www.baseball-reference.com/about/jaws.shtml) [Right Field **(8th)**](https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/jaws_RF.shtml): **73.9** career WAR / **46.8** 7yr-peak WAR / **60.4** JAWS Average HOF RF (out of 27): 71.9 career WAR / 42.4 7yr-peak WAR / 57.2 JAWS He’s a Hall of Famer by pretty much every standard. And boy did he cover the Fame part of it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/10 "2021-05-20T16:37:32Z")
Despite being a huge Yankees fan who cut his teeth on the 70s Yanks _(The Bronx Zoo)_. Reggie and his greatness never made me a big fan. I am just old enough that Thurman was my favorite player and the infamous stir-the-drink interview from Reggie put him as an asshole to me from the start. But Mr. October was a great player. No doubt. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/11 "2021-05-20T16:54:00Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > In his stint with the Angels, he almost managed to unwittingly assassinate the Queen of England when she was visiting LA, but was foiled at the last minute thanks to the exploits of the LAPD’s LT Frank Drebin. Hey! It’s Enrico Palazzo! ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/12 "2021-05-20T17:01:52Z")
In the Ken Burns documentary, he’ s quoted saying that he had about the same stats as Lee May of the Reds, but he “kn(e)w how to get asses into the seats” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/13 "2021-05-20T17:11:20Z")
Good enough power hitter for the Hall. He’s going in just for his long ball stats. He played in the big park era too. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/14 "2021-05-20T17:28:45Z")
I agree entirely with the “Hall of Famer but also overrated”, his hype being so extreme is how he has the rare distinction of being a legitimate Hall of Famer but _also overrated_. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/15 "2021-05-20T18:11:18Z")
Jackson was a great player, particularly in terms of home runs and RBIs. The big knock on him was his tendency to strike out. One issue Jackson may have had was the fact that seemingly everybody who ever played with him couldn’t stand him. One of his Yankee teammates (I want to say Graig Nettles) once joked that Reggie was “the kind of guy who’ll give you the shirt off his back… then call a press conference to announce what he did.” ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/16 "2021-05-20T18:31:36Z")
For me off-the-field Reggie was perfectly captured by the tabloid headline, “Reggie Jackson Speaks Out on his Sex Life”. See [here](https://books.google.com/books?id=WUMjZaxfpwEC&pg=PA189&lpg=PA189&dq=%22reggie+jackson+speaks+out+on+his+sex+life%22&source=bl&ots=_G_kiEN2o4&sig=ACfU3U2ettqQptIizcIVL6wVTs2TTtQ56Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8o5OV8djwAhX1B50JHZYJBGQQ6AEwAnoECAUQAw#v=onepage&q=%22reggie%20jackson%20speaks%20out%20on%20his%20sex%20life%22&f=false) for the Mike Royko column about it. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/17 "2021-05-20T18:57:53Z")
He hit three consecutive home runs in game 6 of the 1977 World Series. Two of the balls were returned to him. Unfortunately some little shit named Joe Cooper kept the third one. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/18 "2021-05-20T19:21:02Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I’m thinking of Dave Kingman, for example. Try another Jackson: [Bo.](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacksbo01.shtml) 32% of his career plate appearances resulted in him being struck out, as opposed to Kingman’s 24.4% and Reggie’s 22.7%. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/19 "2021-05-20T20:07:35Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > He was worthy of the Hall of Fame and an overrated blowhard. > > The blowhard came naturally to him, he couldn’t help but blow his own horn. Definitely agreed. When I think about Jackson, and his ego and self-promotion, this bit always comes back to me: > [@](#): > > “This team, it all flows from me. I’m the straw that stirs the drink. Maybe I should say me and Munson, but he can only stir it bad,” Jackson was quoted by Robert Ward in a June 1977 article in Sport magazine. The quote was in reference to Jackson being the key ingredient to a World Series winner with his penchant for delivering big hits in the playoffs, earning him the nickname “Mr. October.” And, after it was published, he’s been trying to deny it or walk it back ever since. > **[Reggie Jackson tries to set record straight on Thurman Munson quote](https://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-reggie-jackson-autobiography-20131004-story.html)** > > Hall of Fame baseball slugger Reggie Jackson unloads on a number of subjects in his new autobiography, which was co-written by Kevin Baker and is scheduled for release by Doubleday on Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562/20 "2021-05-20T21:03:57Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Great player worth of the Hall of Fame? Overrated blowhard He certainly was a blowhard. He was a no-doubt-whatsoever Hall of Famer. He was most of the way to the Hall of Fame before he ever played a game for the Yankees. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-your-opinion-of-reggie-jackson/942562.md?page=2)