Who is the man: Reggie Jackson had four seasons under his kelly green belt when this card was issued. He was just coming off a disappointing 1970 season, hitting just .237. He'd have a pretty fine '71 though.
Can ya dig it: Oh, I can. Jackson looks nothing like he did in later years, which makes this card extra sweet. He's in full '70s Oakland A's regalia. A single bat isn't good enough for him. And I don't know what made him decide to start the "M" in his middle name all the way at the beginning of his first name, but I could stare at that signature all day.
Right on: I was fortunate enough to acquire this card and the Nolan Ryan card in the set as a young teenager when the cards cost me nothing. I scammed ... er, traded for them with a neighborhood friend in exchange for some more current Yankees.
You see this cat Jackson is a bad mother: I never thought Jackson was bad-ass as some did -- he seemed too needy -- but coming up with "I'm the straw that stirs the drink" is pretty mother badding bad.
Shut your mouth: That's what Thurman Munson said to Reggie. Or was it Billy?
No one understands him but his woman: The rumor goes that the Mets -- who had the No. 1 pick in the 1966 baseball draft -- didn't select Jackson because he had a white girlfriend. Jackson instead went to the A's with the No. 2 pick (the Mets drafted Steve Chilcott).
(A word about the back): As often as I rooted against Reggie, I was always proud of the fact that he was a lefty.
I had never heard that rumor about why Jackson wasn't drafted by the Mets. I wonder if it was true or just an excuse by Mets management for the horrible blunder.
ReplyDeleteNot a rumor-100% true.
DeleteI prefer seeing Reggie in an Oakland uniform over the Yankee pinstripes.
ReplyDeleteGreat, great card!!! Certainly one that I would like to bring home at some point in the future.
ReplyDeleteWay to go Mets. I traded for this one when I was about 10. A kid in my class had a bunch of 1971s and I managed to get some stars such as Seaver, Reggie, Bench, and Munson. They are VG at best, but I still love the cards.
ReplyDeleteI'd take pre-Yankee Reggie too. Any day of the week. Way to shoot yourselves in the foot Mets. I love hearing that.
ReplyDeleteNight Owl,
ReplyDelete'71 was the first year I started collecting when I was seven. I had this Jackson card. I grew up 20 miles from Oakland and we got to see all 3 WS championships as a kid. Wow.
But even then, there was something about Jackson I didn't like. My next door neighbor kid and I took a pencil eraser and erased the photo paper from his face and drew a big black moustache, then gave him chicken pox with a red felt tip marker. O U C H
Weird coincidence: Reggie his his first career home run while playing for the A's at Anaheim Stadium in 1967.
ReplyDeleteReggie hit his final career home run while playing for the A's at Anaheim Stadium in 1987.