Reggie Jackson had to wait a while to hit his first Fall Classic dinger. For good measure, he wasn't hitting any in the postseason that year. For a while, anyway.
The Oakland Athletics' slugger hit .278 in the American League Championship Series vs. Baltimore. But it was guys like Jim Palmer and some of the other Orioles pitchers who just refused to let Reggie go deep. That pattern continued for most of the World Series, too!
Reggie failed in game one of the Fall Classic vs. the New York Mets. Actually, he failed big time. You see, he also failed to get a hit of any kind. The A's managed to win, 2-1.
The Big Guy was back in game two, sans the longball, however. The A's did not win, alas.
But he had two extra-base hits. A double and a triple. Hmmm, only the big fly is missing. Actually Jackson had four hits, so he needed only a home run to complete the cycle. Though the A's lost, Reggie kept 'em in it.
With Oakland trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the eight, it was Reggie with a double to score Bert Campaneris. The hit also moved Joe Rudi to third as Jackson was on second. The tying run was but a single away. But Gene Tenace fanned.
Jackson wouldn't let Oakland lose it. In the bottom of the ninth, with his team trailing 6-4, he singled home a run. Then Tenace came through and singled home Sal Bando to tie it. Reggie was again on second. And a single here wins it! But Jesus Alou could not come through.
Willie Mays broke the 6-6 deadlock in the top of the twelve however. His single made it 7-6, New York. Mays trotted home and another run scored on errors. Reggie was needed again in the bottom of the frame. But a home run was needed as Oakland was down 10-6.
Well, Reggie had to settle for a lead off triple. But that did help. Further assisting was a walk to Tenace and a single by Alou. 10-7. A groundout forced Alou, but Mike Andrews walked. The tying run was at first. But Vic Davalillio popped out and Campaneris grounded out.
The A's then went to the Big Apple and Reggie had no idea he'd one day play there. But for the Yankees. Here, however, he went 0-5 and fanned three times. Oakland managed to win, but it took them eleven innings.
The Mets then squared things at home with a decisive 6-1 win, and Reggie could collect only one hit. The Series was tied at two, and what could Reggie do?
The New York took game five at home to pull ahead 3-2 in the 1973 Fall Classic. One more win and this thing is over. Reggie got a walk, but nothing else. He was needed, now!
Here's what Jackson did in game six. It was back at home and Reggie batted in the bottom of the first. He hit a double to to score Rudi. Then, he hit another double in the bottom of the third to make it 2-0, Oakland. The Mets scored in the top of the eighth, but here comes our boy in the bottom of the frame, as he singled and eventually scored. 3-1, Oakland and that was the final score. Heading to a winner-take-all game seven.
And Reggie hit a home run in it. Oh, yeah, Oakland also won!
In the bottom of the third of a scoreless ball game, Bert Campaneris hit a two-run home run to make it 2-0. Before the Mets could recover from that, Joe Rudi singled. Reggie Jackson took John Matlack out of the park, and out of the game, It was 4-0, Oakland.
Reggie popped out and struck out in his next two at-bats. But he had delivered the knockout blow. Not only on Matlack, but on the Mets. Oakland won, 5-2.
Reggie had a long wait, but he had his first Fall Classic home run. And not a minute too soon, eh?
References
Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 01 Jan. 2015.
The Oakland Athletics' slugger hit .278 in the American League Championship Series vs. Baltimore. But it was guys like Jim Palmer and some of the other Orioles pitchers who just refused to let Reggie go deep. That pattern continued for most of the World Series, too!
Reggie failed in game one of the Fall Classic vs. the New York Mets. Actually, he failed big time. You see, he also failed to get a hit of any kind. The A's managed to win, 2-1.
The Big Guy was back in game two, sans the longball, however. The A's did not win, alas.
But he had two extra-base hits. A double and a triple. Hmmm, only the big fly is missing. Actually Jackson had four hits, so he needed only a home run to complete the cycle. Though the A's lost, Reggie kept 'em in it.
With Oakland trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the eight, it was Reggie with a double to score Bert Campaneris. The hit also moved Joe Rudi to third as Jackson was on second. The tying run was but a single away. But Gene Tenace fanned.
Jackson wouldn't let Oakland lose it. In the bottom of the ninth, with his team trailing 6-4, he singled home a run. Then Tenace came through and singled home Sal Bando to tie it. Reggie was again on second. And a single here wins it! But Jesus Alou could not come through.
Willie Mays broke the 6-6 deadlock in the top of the twelve however. His single made it 7-6, New York. Mays trotted home and another run scored on errors. Reggie was needed again in the bottom of the frame. But a home run was needed as Oakland was down 10-6.
Well, Reggie had to settle for a lead off triple. But that did help. Further assisting was a walk to Tenace and a single by Alou. 10-7. A groundout forced Alou, but Mike Andrews walked. The tying run was at first. But Vic Davalillio popped out and Campaneris grounded out.
The A's then went to the Big Apple and Reggie had no idea he'd one day play there. But for the Yankees. Here, however, he went 0-5 and fanned three times. Oakland managed to win, but it took them eleven innings.
The Mets then squared things at home with a decisive 6-1 win, and Reggie could collect only one hit. The Series was tied at two, and what could Reggie do?
The New York took game five at home to pull ahead 3-2 in the 1973 Fall Classic. One more win and this thing is over. Reggie got a walk, but nothing else. He was needed, now!
Here's what Jackson did in game six. It was back at home and Reggie batted in the bottom of the first. He hit a double to to score Rudi. Then, he hit another double in the bottom of the third to make it 2-0, Oakland. The Mets scored in the top of the eighth, but here comes our boy in the bottom of the frame, as he singled and eventually scored. 3-1, Oakland and that was the final score. Heading to a winner-take-all game seven.
And Reggie hit a home run in it. Oh, yeah, Oakland also won!
In the bottom of the third of a scoreless ball game, Bert Campaneris hit a two-run home run to make it 2-0. Before the Mets could recover from that, Joe Rudi singled. Reggie Jackson took John Matlack out of the park, and out of the game, It was 4-0, Oakland.
Reggie popped out and struck out in his next two at-bats. But he had delivered the knockout blow. Not only on Matlack, but on the Mets. Oakland won, 5-2.
Reggie had a long wait, but he had his first Fall Classic home run. And not a minute too soon, eh?
References
Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 01 Jan. 2015.
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