Reggie Jackson remains to be hitting them out of the park.
Not because the former Yankee slugger clouted three home runs in a World Series game in opposition to the Dodgers in 1977 has Jackson finished extra with a pitch within the strike zone.
This time, it was Alex Rodriguez, of all individuals, serving up the fastball.
The event was a nationally-televised major league game last week honoring Willie Mays and the Birmingham, Ala., ball discipline the place the baseball legend started his skilled profession within the Negro Leagues.
Mays, one of many few gamers to hit extra house runs than Jackson, had simply died a few days earlier than on the age of 93, which solely added to the poignancy of a really emotional day.
Rodriguez, one other former Yankees slugger, requested Jackson in the course of the Fox Sports activities broadcast how he felt about returning to Birmingham’s historic Rickwood Field, the place he performed within the minor leagues.
What adopted was greater than three minutes of brutal, painful honesty, and a clip to rival any of Jackson’s house run spotlight reels.
Jackson, who performed in Birmingham, spoke of the racism he endured with the Athletics’ Double-A workforce in 1967 earlier than he was referred to as as much as the massive leagues later that 12 months.
“Coming again right here is just not simple,” Jackson said. “The racism after I performed right here, the issue of going by completely different locations the place we traveled. Thankfully, I had a supervisor and I had gamers on the workforce that helped me get by it. However I wouldn’t want it on anyone.”
Jackson didn’t miss any particulars.
“I walked into eating places, and they might level at me and say, ‘The n—-r can’t eat right here,’” Jackson stated. “I might go to a resort, and they might say, ‘The n—-r can’t keep right here.’”
Jackson stated they went to workforce proprietor Charlie Finley’s nation membership for a welcome house dinner.
“They pointed me out with the N-word: ‘He can’t are available right here,’” Jackson recalled. “Finley marched the entire workforce out. He stated, ‘We’re going to go to the diner and eat hamburgers. We’ll go the place we’re needed.’”
In his 21 massive league seasons, Jackson was hit by a pitch 96 occasions. None of them stung greater than what he endured in the course of the 114 video games he performed for the Birmingham A’s.
“Thankfully, I had a supervisor in Johnny McNamara that, if I couldn’t eat within the place, no one would eat,” Jackson stated.
“We’d get meals to journey. If I couldn’t keep in a resort, they’d drive to the following resort and discover a place the place I may keep. Had it not been for Rollie Fingers, Johnny McNamara, Dave Duncan, Joe and Sharon Rudi, I slept on their sofa three, 4 nights every week for a few month and a half. Lastly, they had been threatened that they might burn our condo advanced down until I received out. I wouldn’t want it on anybody.”
Followers who like their historical past in neat little containers wish to suppose that it was solely Jackie Robinson who needed to endure the racist taunts. Many perceive that gamers like Mays and Henry Aaron, former Negro leaguers, additionally paid a value to pave the best way for others.
However few would affiliate Reggie Jackson — who famously fought with Billy Martin, and clashed with Thurman Munson — with pioneers who suffered so future Black gamers may thrive within the sport.
A lot has been stated about greatness within the days since Mays died. There have been limitless spotlight reels and a trove of heat tributes.
However nobody, nobody, did a greater job of honoring Willie and Hank and Jackie, and Birmingham than the person often called Mr. October.
“Individuals stated to me right this moment, ‘Do you suppose you’re a greater particular person?’” Jackson stated. “‘Do you suppose you gained if you performed right here and conquered?’ I stated, ‘You already know, I might by no means need to do it once more.’”