MLB Throwback: Reggie Jackson signs with Yankees
The baseball world is still waiting for the first major free-agent signing of the offseason, but with the winter meetings on the horizon, action on the open market is sure to heat up in the coming days and weeks.
On Nov. 29, 1976, one of the first blockbuster signings in the history of free agency took place, when the New York Yankees inked Reggie Jackson to a five-year contract worth just under $3 million. The era of free agency began in 1975, and New York wasted no time flexing its financial muscles on the open market, setting the tone for how the team would operate for decades to come.
Jackson, already a five-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion with the Oakland Athletics, caused a stir in his first year with the storied franchise, criticizing team captain Thurman Munson in the press, and nearly coming to blows with manager Billy Martin in a famous incident at Fenway Park.
The fall brings out the best in Reggie, though. Jackson caught fire in the 1977 World Series, launching homers in Games 4 and 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He then unleashed one of the greatest offensive performances in postseason history in Game 6, belting three long balls to set a single-game World Series record en route to being named MVP of the series. From that moment on, Jackson would forever be known as "Mr. October" for his postseason heroics.
Jackson went on to play four more seasons with the Yankees, and answered the call again in the 1978 postseason, leading New York to a second consecutive World Series championship with another gargantuan display of hitting. Jackson slashed .391/.500/.696 with two homers and eight RBIs to lift the Yankees over the Dodgers in six games.
JACKSON'S STATS WITH YANKEES
| YEAR | SLASH LINE | HR | RBI | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | .286/.375/.530 | 32 | 110 | .925 |
| 1978 | .274/.356/.477 | 27 | 97 | .834 |
| 1979 | .297/.382/.544 | 29 | 89 | .926 |
| 1980 | .300/.398/.597 | 41 | 111 | .995 |
| 1981 | .237/.330/.428 | 15 | 54 | .758 |
Jackson once again became a free agent following the 1981 season, and elected to return to California, signing a five-year deal with the Angels. He would enjoy a lengthy 21-year career in the majors, and eventually be enshrined in Cooperstown as a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1993 for his accomplishments. The Yankees also retired Jackson's No. 44 in 1993 - the same year the franchise hired him as a special assistant.