Reggie Jackson - a beloved Yankee?

[soupcan]

I brought this over from the 'Answer/Ask' thread in the NBF...

SteveJRogers wrote: Revisionist history has Jackson as a beloved MFY Even after his "Yankee Moment" with the three homers MFY fans still held guys like a Munson, Piniella, Randolph, Rivers, and Billy Martin in higher regard and esteem Yankee fans still begrudginly accept that he was a part of 77-78 and barely acknowldege that his homer was the "Game Winning" hit of the "Bucky Bleeping Dent Game" Ask any Yankee fan which retired number should be unretired and they'll usually say Reggie's as he was only there for 5 years and more people associate him as an A, not a Yankee

I think you're wrong Steve.

I'm old enough to have a good memory of Jackson on the Yankees and I have no recollection of his being villified in any way at all when he played here.

Sure he proclaimed himself the straw that stirs the drink when Munson was the beloved captain but that was more fodder for the whole Bronx Zoo media circus than a call to arms for fans of Munson.

In fact I even remember Reggie Bars being a huge hit when they came out. Would A-Rod bars be a big seller? I think not.

[metirish]

I read recently that Reggie had a tough first season in the Bronx and was even booed a few times.....

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

My memory jibes with soup's. I don't know whether Reggie was necessarily beloved, but I don't recall fans hating him.

[metirish]

Here I found this from Lupica

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/story/437267p-368462c.html

[Guest cooby]

I'm not a New Yorker, so I don't know how Yankee fans felt about him, but we could buy Reggie Bars even this far away and my thoughts at the time were that everybody loved Reggie. I sure did.

[Frayed Knot]

Oh he was quite villified during his first season in da Bronx.

He didn't hit at all in the first half of that year which, when combined with the (then) huge contract, his big mouth, plus the battles he had w/Munson & Billy, made him at least as abused as ARod is now. It also didn't help that he was seen as "George's boy" at a time when George wasn't popular.
He then had a much better 2nd half, finally capping it off with the 3HR WS game which essentially turned him into a ... wait for it ... True Yankee!!

[seawolf17]

I think it was really "The Naked Gun" that sealed his status as a cult hero.

"I must... kill... The Queen..."

[Guest cooby]

My fondest memory of Reggie is scoring that run AFTER he tore up his knee. What a hero! Though he was a A then.

[Willets Point]

I liked Reggie. I remember him being pretty darn popular.

[soupcan]

Did I mention how good Reggie Bars were?

They were.

[Valadius]

I wonder if we could compare them with those ridiculous Larry bars in Atlanta...

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

="soupcan"] Did I mention how good Reggie Bars were? They were.

That may be so but despite spending about 70% of my disposable income on candy at the time, I refused to buy any food endorsed by a MFY.

[Frayed Knot]

I remember a (National Lampoon?) magazine parody of the 'Reggie Bar' soon after it came out:
It's expensive, has a 160 IQ, and turns to shit shortly after you buy it


Perhaps not coincidently, ARod is in SI reminding Verducci (among other things) about how intelligent he is, just like Reggie ws fond of doing.
More than a few parallels between the two situations IMO. The big contract; the outsider status; the seeming need to feel loved and included; both having their battles with the beloved/entrenched stalwart (Jeter/Munson). The difference is that Alex has yet to have his NYY/WS moment to throw off the dogs in the press and stands, plus has the backing of manager - at least publicly anyway. Torre is reportedly close to Verducci and could be the source of some of the anonymous clubhouse sniping in the article.

[Guest KC]

Most Skank fans I know call him Mr. October - sounds pretty poplular to me.

If ya ever wanna have fun with "die hard" Yankee fans who were around in
the 70's - get 'em going with a "Munson was just an alright player" and you'll
really see some heads spin.

[Guest Hillbilly]

He all but became the face of the organization during the latter part of his tenure as a MFY. I always liked him and have been even modifying one of his more famous lines lately by saying �when the leaves turn brown, my productivity is going way down�.

[Guest KC]

Eh, I liked him too. I liked Mattingly and Randolph too for that matter.

Munson has become a GOD like figure to some Yankee fans over 35.

[MFS62]

KC wrote: If ya ever wanna have fun with "die hard" Yankee fans who were around in the 70's - get 'em going with a "Munson was just an alright player" and you'll really see some heads spin.

You're right. And if you need some statistical backup, the closest major leaguer with whom he can be compared was journeyman first baseman Bruce Bochte (not Bruce Bochy the catcher/ manager). For about the same number of career at-bats, the numbers are quite close in most categories.
Then, ask the Yankee fan if Bruce Bochte belongs in the Hall of Fame.

(WARNING: You might then have to duck)

Later

[Guest KC]

Tim McCarver is on his SIM score list at baseball-reference.com for batting.

I rest my case.

(of course I only cite SIM scores when they help my case)

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

The joke about the Reggie bar was that you opened it up and it told you how good it was.

[stevejrogers]

Hmmm. Then maybe this is yet ANOTHER case of me paying more attention to the few (not just members of the media) that still to this day have no use for Reggie

Either that or I'm putting too much emphasis on people using "He's more an A than a Yankee" arguments (For HOF plaque cap logo, number retirement, ect) the way "I always thought of him more an Expo than a Met" argument is used in terms of Gary Carter's Metlyness

Interesting thing about Yankee fans love of Munson and Jeter as opposed to Jackson and Rodriguez. Clearly Munson and Jackson were polar opposites in virtually every way possible when it came to their off-field demeanors and such. Jeter and ARod are cut from the same Jordan-esque modern Sports Superstar cloth. Except Jeter doesn't act with the "I want you to LOVE ME, WHY DONT YOU LOVE ME?" way ARod comes off as.

[Guest KC]

We just spent half a day telling you they do love Jackson, you almost agree
that maybe you're misguided, and then you go on to say they don't in the
same post and throw him in with Arod ... who the fickle fans will love too if
he has a good October. Your train of thought has derailed me.

[stevejrogers]

KC wrote: We just spent half a day telling you they do love Jackson, you almost agree that maybe you're misguided, and then you go on to say they don't in the same post and throw him in with Arod ... who the fickle fans will love too if he has a good October. Your train of thought has derailed me.

???

I meant more in the vein of the "Straw that stirs" first season comparision between him and Munson and ARod and Jeter

[Guest cooby]

I have a question. I remember Thurman Munson (kinda) but frankly, he didn't hit my radar much until the day he died.

So a question for you New Yorkers, was Thurman Munson really idolized or was it just after his death?



Steve, I am in no way asking this to discredit your argument, it's just that what you're saying made me wonder.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Munson had a rep (deserved) as a real old-skool, hardnosed guy whom his teammates respected and fans adored in a lunchbucket kinda way. He'd be kinda like LoDuca had he come up thru the Mets' org. It was a sad day for baseball when he died.

[Guest cooby]

That is was. Somebody I knew was inconsolable but I don't remember who it was.

[Guest KC]

I don't know if they still do it at Yankee Stadium, but they used to honor him
once a game between an inning and get everyone all pumped up and what
not with a video tribute still 20-30 years later? It feeds to an age group's
emotions and is subliminal advertising if you ask me.

I might be a (fill in your own adjective here), but I think there's a fine line between
honoring a player and exploiting the fact that he was popular and died a tragic
death. This will never show up in any executive memos, but come on.

[Valadius]

Once a game?!?!?!? Way to turn someone's memory into a marketing chip. That's disgusting.

[stevejrogers]

KC wrote: I don't know if they still do it at Yankee Stadium, but they used to honor him once a game between an inning and get everyone all pumped up and what not with a video tribute still 20-30 years later? It feeds to an age group's emotions and is subliminal advertising if you ask me. I might be a (fill in your own adjective here), but I think there's a fine line between honoring a player and exploiting the fact that he was popular and died a tragic death. This will never show up in any executive memos, but come on.

I'm pretty sure that ended though after the ten year anniversary or right around that time. I know what you mean, they replayed Bob Sheppard's reading of Munson's plaque inscription, show the empty space behind the plate, ect. I haven't seen it in a LONG time so they did stop doing it after a point

Kind of goes along with the God Bless America every game

For a couple of years after their respective passings (thankfully it was STOPPED after only a couple of years) they actually did Mickey Mantle's and Joe DiMaggio's full introduction at Old Timers Day as well! Like if they did it right the spirts of Joe D and Mick would suddenly appear or something!

You know, I'm starting to think maybe the Mets are on the right track with how they treat their past... =

[stevejrogers]

BTW in comparaison have you seen ANY footage of Gil Hodges Day at Shea when they retired Gil's number on 6/9/1972? The only clip I've heard is "Taps" played in honor of Gil on the Mets 40th Anniversary CD

Probably the most emotionally sad day in Shea's history, though I'd suspect alot in that building were old Dodger fans rather than 1969 Met fans. NTTWATWWT of course

[Guest KC]

I'm pretty sure that you're wrong about it ending after ten years ... that would
be like 1989?? I ain't talkin' about the 80's.