Fansided
White Cleat Beat

Oakland Athletics Mount Rushmore

By David Hill

OAKLAND, CA - CIRCA 1990: Outfielder Rickey Henderson #35 of the Oakland Athletics runs the bases during an Major League Baseball game circa 1990 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. Henderson played for the Athletics from 1979-84, 1989-93,1994-95 and 1998. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - CIRCA 1990: Outfielder Rickey Henderson #35 of the Oakland Athletics runs the bases during an Major League Baseball game circa 1990 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. Henderson played for the Athletics from 1979-84, 1989-93,1994-95 and 1998. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Reggie Jackson

Reggie Jackson tends to be remembered most for his five years with the Yankees. However, it was as a member of the Oakland Athletics where his star was born.

The fact that Jackson was even a member of the A’s in the first place was a testament to luck and the ineptitude of the Mets at the beginning part of their history. He was the second overall selection in the 1966 MLB Draft when the Mets, with the first overall selection, took catcher Steve Chilcott, who never found his way to the majors.

Jackson spent the first nine seasons, and his final season, with the A’s. During those ten combined years with the A’s, Jackson was a six time All Star, winning the 1973 AL MVP award and finishing in the top five three other times. He was also the Major League Player of the Year and World Series MVP in 1973, the second of three consecutive titles won by the A’s.

In his ten seasons in Oakland, Jackson proved to be one of the more fearsome power hitters of his time. He produced a .262/.355/.496 batting line, hitting 234 doubles and 269 homers. Jackson even stole 145 bases, and had three 20-20 seasons. He led the league in homers and runs twice, and led the AL in RBI in that excellent 1973 campaign.

Reggie Jackson was one of the key members of the Oakland Athletics’ first dynasty on the west coast. And, even if he was depicted as a member of the Angels, he was one hell of an actor as well.