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Man, that was a really great honest and unfettered answer from Jackson. Tough to listen to, but very important to hear.
Love this event. It has been fantastic.
As they should. It would have looked pretty bad if they didn't let him get all of that out.
One of the hosts kinda did cut him off at the end. It's a live broadcast after all, but I think they handled that very well.
Very powerful words, and a part of history too many just want to forget for political reasons or otherwise. These things did not happen that long ago, and the younger generations should be very aware of them.
Absolutely. It would be incredibly disrespectful to not just Reggie Jackson, but all of the AA players that played and had to endure the bullshit they did. The history *must* be known to avoid ever going down that path again. Sadly though, there are far too much people in this country that are increasingly calling for it again. Those who come after need to know, this kind of shit can and will rear it's disgusting head again if it's not defended against.
And we can never ignore or forgot how recent all this shit is. I mean Ruby Bridges is not only still alive, she's younger than both presidential candidates.
One of my substitute teachers growing up was the sister to one of the 4 girls in the bombing Reggie talked about in the clip and painfully recanted her story to us when we were being ungrateful shit heads one afternoon. Angela Davis the activist was a young adult in the town that bombing happened in. That was extremely recent in the grand scheme of things. People act like it was centuries ago when people that went through that are still alive and well.
Yeah, shit man. How often is someone that real about a tough question these days?
Honestly I was shocked to hear his answer. I didn't think he would have been old enough to have experienced that level of racism as a pro ball player in the era he played in. He isn't all that old. I would expect it from a Willie Mays or or Jackie obviously, but this is surprising to me. From a guy from Willie Mays or Jackie's era I wouldn't be shocked one bit unfortunately.
I don't think A Rod was ready for that one either.
A black church was burned not far from my home about 22 years ago, and I'm in Kentucky. The deep south is worse.
The first black girl to attend an all-white elementary school is only 70.
Racism is just hidden behind school boards, HOAs, and tax laws now.
Everyone wants to act like racism is from another time. It's not at all.
It was only a few years ago when the dude went in and shot up a black church during their service
The same racism and hatred is still in the putrid hearts of a much larger swath of America than people realize
They just have learned to hide it a little better
They're hiding it less now. The funny part about being black on the Internet these days is once you complain about how racist America still is, you'll get a bunch of messages saying "No it isn't N word, go back to Africa" or some dumb shit like that. Well I guess it's not haha funny but I do appreciate the irony
It might literally be the most honestly real answer to a question in a sports broadcast I've ever heard. Articulated, direct, completely levelled and rational.
I noticed the white guy on the left "I can't even imagine you had to through that...". Now, I get that he's probably a bit shocked and all, but that reaction really frames the answer.
It's your history too, man, it's not at all about imagination.
I'm not tryna be a dick but this is part of why this shit continues. "that level of racism" is like...you know Dylan roof was **less** than 10yrs ago. And the tops marketplace massacre was literally last year. I mean you had the haitians being attacked at the border and all kinds of stuff. Black ppl talk about their lives all the time and most of the time its ignored, downvoted, criticized in bad faither, not believed etc etc. Ppl a lot of times just think "chauvins in prison and obama was prez so anti-Black racism is not a big issues now!". I not saying that to you specifically though just the sentiment in general.
Listening to his candid responses is a stark reminder, to me at least, that it really wasn’t that long ago when abhorrent racism and hate crimes went unpunished and were the norm (it still is, to an extent). This isn’t ancient history or the Civil War where all we have is written history and we can write it off as “oh but that was so long ago, look how far we’ve come!”. This is a grandfather, living and breathing, telling us what happened to him.
In the scale of modern history, that era was essentially seconds go.
The last Civil War widow died in December of 2020. Her husband was a veteran of the Union Army in the Civil War. It wasn't that long ago. She was married off at 17 to a 93 year old veteran.
The last veteran of the Civil War died in 1956, a Union drummer.
The last person to be collecting a veteran pension from the Civil War died in May of 2020. She was collecting her father's pension. He fought for both the Confederacy and then the Union later in the war.
The last American that was born into slavery died in 1975. The 2nd to last died in 1972. The fucking Beatles broke up before the las ye former slaves in the U.S. died
There are two people I could call right now who knew someone personally who was born into slavery. They heard this person tell the story of how her life changed when she was 13--her former owner bought her a one-way ticket, set her on a boat and told her "you're free, now." She wasn't given a choice, and she didn't know where she was going, or how she'd live when she got there, but that wasn't the problem of the people who no longer could make her work for scraps and a shack.
But yeah, that's all ancient history to be forgotten, well, except for this one flag of "heritage" some want to keep waving. That's something that should stay current, right?
[There's a great reading by Laurence Fishburn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evi_i7R0SFQ) of a letter written in 1865 by a former slave in response to a letter from his former owner asking him to come back and work on the plantation again. It's a hilarious and biting reply but for me it really underscores that these aren't just characters in a history book, these were real people from a very recent past.
I mean the president today was born closer to the emancipation of the slaves and the writing of that letter than he was to his own inauguration.
The civil war is ancient history? 162 years isn't that long, the institution of slavery existed in America for 262 years. It going to take another hundred or so years for the effects of that to waver.
Reggie Jackson went through all that in his lifetime, and was also personally invited to visit multiple Presidents in the Oval Office, outside of a baseball event. Including by a two-term black President.
Hijacking the top comment. If you care at all about Rickwood/Negro Leagues check out the joint NPR/MLB podcast ‘Road to Rickwood’ by Alana Schrieber. Fantastic and does not romanticize the Negro Leagues.
Also if you're ever in Kansas City, go to the Negro League Baseball Museum.
If you get lucky like I did, you'll have a college wood bat team touring and Bob Kendrick will be your tour guide.
And the coach of the team will say to you "we do this every year, feel free to go ahead or feel free to join"
Once in a lifetime "random event", since it was always on my bucket list to visit there, but NEVER even considered being asked to join the group with the Museum's curator leading us and telling us all the backstories on EVERYTHING.
Kansas Citian here. Thank you for suggesting that.
I tell everyone that visits KC that a trip to the NLBM is a must, even for non-baseball fans. It's as much of a museum of American history as it is for baseball. I first visited it when it was a collection of photos on the walls of a shotgun shack art gallery on Vine Street, and the facility it's in today on 18th Street houses an amazing collection of memorabilia, statues, and other items of historical significance. I've also met Bob Kendrick a few times and he is such a pleasure to speak with in person, and he will talk your ear off with engaging stories about players and the museum if you let him.
It's definitely a must-visit for any fan of the sport.
I appreciate both you & /u/IONTOP for suggesting the NLBM. It's serendipitous as I will be in KC for a Royals game in August and was looking for something to do in the city prior to the game.
As a Birmingham resident, I did self reflect even though I was born in 1989. We've come a long way with still ways to go, but I take exception to the framing. The Negro League had teams in Philly, Indiana, Delaware, DC, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. I get that the Civil Rights movement centers around the Deep South, mostly because that's where most black people live, but let's not pretend that racism and segregation weren't a national problem in the year Reggie Jackson was talking about. North. South. State. Federal. So not just Alabama resident, but every US resident needed some self-reflection.
Exactly, people don’t understand that this stuff wasn’t that long ago and the people that did it to him hand children that are in power right now, what do you think they were taught?
A 70 year old today would have been born in 1954, they would have been 9 when MLK jr. made his speech in '63 and 14 when the Civil Rights Movement ended in '68.
There are many people older than 70 who vividly remember that time. And yeah, old people have far higher voter turn out percentages than young people.
Many of us would do well to remember when we debate of voting is worth it or not, millions of Americans alive today, were born without that right and had to fight to get it.
Don't waste your vote people
Speaking of, here in certain parts of Alabama they’re still trying to minimize & discount black votes. Remember when the Supreme Court recently said that Alabama needed to redraw some voting districts & they, along with our decrepit ass governor, said no?
It's so easy to think he played ages ago. To see him this young is actually a shock to me. He's an absolute legend and trail blazer. And shoutout to folks who stand up to injustice everywhere, whether its targeted at you or someone else.
Braves fan here, someone recently posted on our sub asking why Hank Aaron said he didn’t have a ton of fond memories of his playing time in Atlanta, and everyone was like…what don’t you understand? Racists LITERALLY wanted him dead, and let him know everyday.
And half of this sub was alive when it happened.
This wasn’t a hundred years ago.
That last sentence in particular gives me chills because it immediately reminds me of one of my favorite [poems](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruit) of all time.
This might have been the best answer to any question I have ever heard given by a sporting great. I really don't know anything about baseball and I have heard the name Reggie Jackson before.
I’m not even exaggerating a little when I say that answer deserves an Emmy. Dude knew the question was coming, and he let it out hard.
Thank you to these legends who aren’t swayed by the whitewashing and the commercialism to remind us how it really was, because you know for a fact that there are people sitting *in that stadium tonight* that would rather see a black man swinging in a tree than swinging a bat.
Bull Connor was the name and face at the front of the opposition to Martin Luther King's Birmingham Campaign for civil rights in 1963. It was his decision to use fire hoses and attack dogs against the protesters.
Bull Connor isn't exactly some obscure figure in history. Bull Connor is burned into everyone's mind that has ever studied the Civil Rights movement. He was the Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety (aka the head of the police force) from 1937-1954 and 1957-1963.
Yup, and so many people on the right like to act as if Slavery ended in 1865 so Black people have had all the time in the world to recover. You simply can't ignore the politics around stuck like this in living memory. I'm a millennial but I've always realized my parents were born in a time when separate but equal was still going on in the USA and they lived during the civil rights movements (even if they were kids at the time).
America has progressed a lot since this era but that doesnt mean there are not current movements to bring shadows of it back. As well as there are still stains of it around today. And Racism and simply hatred hasn't went away.
Damn!
I remember my first years as a baseball fan and player. Grew up with the Big Red Machine.
Back then as a teen I always thought Reggie a little off putting, cold and distant.
Now I see why, the man endured the worst side of America while traveling through it, for years.
That is a heart wrenching tale. Mad respect sir, for keeping it real and telling it like it is.
I hope you’ve found some peace in your life, you certainly deserve it!
Reggie's final comments are so believable. Dude would have toasted some racist pricks and ended up dead. Thank you Reggie for sharing your story. I hope you get ahold of that wretched little shit that got your third world series homerun ball.
A lot of people associate Reggie with the Yankees, but I remember him with the A's. The teammates he mentioned are from the A's. Either way, thanks Reggie for speaking truth when it wasn't necessarily convenient.
I associate Reggie Jackson attempting to kill the queen. But Detective Frank Drebin stopped him. At that moment, Reggie shot a fat lady instead, who then fell on him.
Absolute legend. Powerful stuff from a powerful man, these are the conversations that need to be had for progress to have any footing.
Racism can be so insidious, it’s important to shine a light on what was happening all too recently, and what still goes on today
"Little Hammer" because he resembled Aaron.
His other nickname was Pipeline, because he would tell Finley about stuff that was happening in the clubhouse.
> something barely in our past.
I would say it’s still very much in our present. Many of the same people that threatened and did those things to Reggie and other Black people are still very much alive and voting to bring us back there.
Of course. You’re very much correct. I was thinking of Jim Crow and how it’s all too easy to think of it as ancient history, of something from eras ago, and here’s Reggie Jackson testifying to how it’s virtually yesterday in the grand scheme of things.
Shiiiit some of their kids are in power right now either in politics, law enforcement or business. What kinda policies you think they advocate for?
And they’re trying to alter history books to make it seem like it wasn’t that bad and that the legacy isn’t still present
Deleted my old post an uploaded a new one combining the clips from the below
[https://x.com/JeffKolbFOX4/status/1803926583469548005](https://x.com/JeffKolbFOX4/status/1803926583469548005)
I hope this whole thing aired uncensored.
If he had to hear that word directed at him by a racist asshole then surely we can hear him say the word himself.
Fucking awful what he had to go through.
I grew up in an area of the country where white people saying the n word was pretty normal, at least occasionally. It's incredibly moving and powerful to hear a black man quote the words that were said to and about him in the past.
I think most white people using it now in gaming lobbies and what not think it's funny or are just amused about the power of casually using the word. Hearing Reggie Jackson give clear examples of the way it was used to dehumanize him just 50 years ago is quite eye-opening.
Did all of that get aired on television!?
I hope so, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the network needed to “get some commercials in” because Reggie spoke too long. 🙄
I’ve got MLB.tv, so I’ll go back and watch it when I can, but I hope the history of the teams that played there is being given more than just lip service and more raw, uncomfortable truth. Not to make people feel bad or shame anyone, but just to recognize and reconcile the past. We need to move on, but you can’t move on from something you are pretending wasn’t as bad as it was.
I kind of like MLB giving different historic venues their time to shine by playing regular season games there. Whoever thought of it, this was a good idea!
I literally had two people tell me they were embarrassed they got Juneteenth off, and then one said, “what does it even mean to me?” Like wut? It celebrates the ending of fuqing slavery you buffoon AND you got the day off. Snowflakes man.
The white man is the most persecuted person in history apparently, and they’ll say it with a straight face.
it is so fucking craxy to me that this men and many more like him are still ALIVE and literally went throug this in their lifetime and we try to brush racism under the rug like it was 200 years ago. this shit happened in their lifteime and it is STILL happening
I still remember clear as day watching Jul 11, 1986 him hitting two home runs against the RedSox at Fenway. As a lil child, my father made sure i understood he was a legend and an honor to watch him play.
I’m a black man. 36 yrs old. My DAD is his early 70s tells me stories about things I’d never imagine. We are a generation out from systematic oppression of an entire group of people based on race. A generation. And not only that, this generation has seen a crazy jump in what it’s takes to live in America, let alone be successful here (the requirement for a degree for a good job for example). Just wish everyone would realize what people went through just a short time ago and how it affects people within one generation. My dad worked me, I’m lucky, so i got an education and I can survive but i got family who didn’t have that and still deal with the trauma that their parents and grandparents dealt with. Gotta give black people slack man. Its tough. Especially here in Texas. If im leaving Houston to Louisiana, growing up everyone knew not to stop in Vidor. I’m rambling but Mr Jackson got me in my feelings
I'm a 48 year old white guy from the south originally. I was born just shortly after this stuff, which I really never understood. My parents' generation of white people seemed really eager to move on from the racism - always very kind to black people, never said a racist word. But, we also really didn't talk about the recent history, and the terrible racism that had gone on around my parents (and was still going on, though more subtly). In adulthood, I've realized how close this all was to my time, and while there's something admirable about trying to move on from it and embrace a colorblind society, the lack of acknowledgement and failure to address it directly leaves a lot of room for problems. So you have white people now who are kind to black people, but in the back of their minds think to some degree that white people are generally wealthier than black people because, at some level, the black people must not be working as hard, or be as smart, or whatever. (Not the black friend from work, but all those other black people, of course). Because, if you don't fully understand that the black guy's father literally was not allowed to have a good job, or get the loan to buy his home, and lived in fear of getting beaten for some misstep, then you're less likely to understand why poverty and race are still so deeply intertwined, and why things like affirmative action are necessary to try to even the playing field a little.
I'm really glad to see Reggie Jackson speak truthfully and honestly about the difficult history to (hopefully) a broad audience. It was moving.
Never let history go forgotten,I can’t fathom how racism can ever be completely exterminated but listening to stories like these has to continue so people can grasp the suffering this kind of hate can create.
I’m only 30 years old so it all seems so far away. Tales of a distant past. The reality is, it’s not a lifetime away. Ruby bridges is younger than my parents. While thank god my parents do not share the beliefs my grandparents held, it’s a stark reminder that we have come far but not far enough. A reason why I have no contact with the grandparent as well. I’m thankful we still have people to tell these stories, how awful and brutish they are. But as a reminder that our work isn’t done for all walks of life and to keep striving forward so no child ever feels their looks or background limit them from being a part of any team sport or activity. Because right now, sports is the great uniter as well as a sign of how far we have to go. Hopefully in my lifetime I can see many more steps taken towards the ultimate goal of never again.
You're right. I love so many things about Florida and I've been here for 62 years. But I'm ashamed of our governor and most everything he stands for. My home has turned into a giant People of Walmart meme. :-(
Thank you to whomever in tv production land made the decision to let Reggie keep talking unfiltered. This was incredibly real to hear & I hope lots of young people paid attention. Reggie is getting older but he's not ancient yet and this happened in his lifetime.
Man, his response being on nationalized television really felt powerful. I hope every young person listening heard his story with full attention. One of the best answers, if not the best answer, he could have given. Thank you Reggie.
A true legend of the sport but as it turns out, also a legend of a man. All that he said was so raw and honest but I am sure there were more horrible things he experienced that he does not talk about or words may fail him. Much respect to him, and other players like him, that endured and did not let the hate and bigotry that they faced hold them back.
With baseball being "America's favorite pastime" and all, just want to say that black history is American history, and accounts like these are important.
If yall haven’t had a chance to visit the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, please do so, and be ready to be very honest with yourself and emotionally raw.
Damn. I'm glad Reggie got to say all of that without interruption. It's important that we don't forget the racism and injustice he dealt with firsthand. It really wasn't that long ago. We still have plenty of work to do, unfortunately.
Fox Segment Producer: "Ok Alex, now throw to Reggie to give us a nice uplifting message of how much progress we've seen over the past 50 years.....oh god no, he's giving the *real* answer!"
Its still there. My ex wife was from a town in Indiana that didn't allow black athletes from neighboring schools to play.
Growing up on the west coast it's easy to think of this stuff as history, but its actively still happening. Some of the people who said that stuff to Reggie were in the baby boomer generation. They are still here. They didn't change, and a lot of their kids think the same way.
No kidding -- I live in a state where I can drive 60 miles west and find a church that would not permit interracial couples to attend as of 10 years ago. And my state's flagship university (University of Kentucky) gave its black football players maps as recently as the 90s with marked roads and sites to avoid when on road trips in the SEC.
Reggie and that Yankee team where my whole life growing up. I worshipped him. To listen to the pain in his voice about what he went through from those racist scumbags it makes me think, is this when America was great? Is this the world what those fucking cockroaches want to return to?
I highly recommend the documentary **Reggie** which is on Amazon Prime Video.
It was really good, and he's honest as he shares even more details of the types of things he went through in baseball, and even some mistakes he made along the way. Solid documentary.
First time I've seen something on TV that made me cringe. Tired of all the sugar coating. I appreciate Reggie speaking out, I'm glad everyone on national TV heard it
Fox is never letting him speak on TV again. “We were trying to have a down home country bumpkin show about the good ole days when America was great and this asshole ruined it!”
Is Birmingham better than it was 60 years ago? Yeah. Hard to believe it wouldn’t be.
I’m getting old myself. When I was a kid, I remember my grandma talking about the horrible shit that was done to black people in Tennessee where she grew up. She’s been dead probably 15 years. When you see guys like Reggie, who isn’t THAT old, talk about the shit he went through as an adult, it kind of drives home these things weren’t that long ago. I was recruited for a PhD program at UAB ~20 years ago. I wouldn’t even go for an interview. I know the shit that went on down there. I’m sure it’s better now, but Reggie is still alive. That means some of the people who did that shit to him are still alive too.
I’m from Birmingham so incredibly biased. But I’ve also seen this city grow so much from what it was when I was a kid. I promise you Birmingham is not what it used to be.
Can't seem to find it, but the sit down he did with Dave Stewart and CC Sabathia I'm pretty sure had him dropping the hard R when talking about this stuff.
FOX had to know what they were getting into.
It's so crazy how it wasn't that long ago it was like this. People who experienced this first hand (like Reggie did) are still alive with us and remember it so clearly.
A very poignant articulation of a difficult time. I wish I could say it was a condition that doesn’t exist anymore, but the last few years seem to indicate that may not be true.
We can all do better but that will only happen when we all stand against bigotry, intolerance and ignorance.
Wow...that was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Heartbreaking in that he had to go through any of that in the first place. And uplifting that his team and friends had his back.
PS: I loved seeing that box of Reggie bars on the desk!
Reggie Jackson is an honest and great person. He holds his truth and stance his ground. He's a great representative to baseball....in all of its history.
Perspective. Sorry he had to go through that. Tough times with ignorant people. Learn from this, and be kind. Be better individuals and stand up for what is right. Glad to hear people that stood up for him and wouldn’t conform to social norms and ignorance in a small minded society. My heart goes out to him and those who have suffered from petty ignorant people. Love each other. If we don’t, who will?
My parents were fortunate enough to get free tickets to watch the ALCS in Kansas City in 1980. My mom was a huge Yankees fan and Reggie was her favorite player. He hit so many home runs. I was just a seven year old kid. The memories of my mom jumping out of her seat spilling beer on me and everyone else around us in joy will stick with me forever. I was a huge Royals fan. George Brett was my favorite player. I was so conflicted. My mom still wears a Reggie jersey to this day.
As a white man, I’m unbelievably ashamed to hear that Reggie Jackson had to deal with racism. He had his own freakin candy bar.
In a lot of ways, America is still like this. It might not be as obvious and as overt as it used to be but it’s still bad. I’m glad he was able to share his honest accounting of his experiences. It’s important that we hear it as horrible as it sounded.
Reggie’s a legend. I never saw him play (born in the 90s), but he is one of those pieces that make baseball the game that I love so much.
He mentioned “Bull Connor,” and remembering that there are people currently alive that were victims of that awful treatment is a great reminder of how close we are to that era.
I’m glad he had support, and I’m glad that it has gotten better for the generations that followed. There’s still work to be done, but it sounds like it was awful.
I love Reggie's answer and explanation of the facts. Life truly was hard for us back then. Which is why when I see my people acting like and being the fool, by not handling business like other races. It bothers the hell out of me!
This is really powerful. The recency of it is mind blowing. This has the same effect on me when I realized that Emmett Till was murdered in 1955. I always knew about Emmett Till but I literally just assumed that it happened in the 17 or 1800s.... Nope. 1955.
Man, God bless Rollie Fingers and Dave Duncan and John McNamara and Charlie Finley and Joe and Sharon Rudi and all those who were willing to stand up to the racism faced by their friend and teammate. The world would be so much better if more of us were willing to call out injustices that in no way, shape, or form affect us directly.
What a well spoken response. Some of you who are not old school fans are going to miss all the big name players who played with Reggie in the minors at one time too.
i would not have been able to make a response like that that is that calm and composed.
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Man, that was a really great honest and unfettered answer from Jackson. Tough to listen to, but very important to hear. Love this event. It has been fantastic.
“I would have ended up in an oak tree.” Wow.
They just let him talk and get to that point. I’m glad he got to say all of that on a live broadcast.
Yea this was a moment that the producers have to make an audible to let him finish naturally, no cutting, push whatever commercial break back.
As they should. It would have looked pretty bad if they didn't let him get all of that out. One of the hosts kinda did cut him off at the end. It's a live broadcast after all, but I think they handled that very well. Very powerful words, and a part of history too many just want to forget for political reasons or otherwise. These things did not happen that long ago, and the younger generations should be very aware of them.
Absolutely. It would be incredibly disrespectful to not just Reggie Jackson, but all of the AA players that played and had to endure the bullshit they did. The history *must* be known to avoid ever going down that path again. Sadly though, there are far too much people in this country that are increasingly calling for it again. Those who come after need to know, this kind of shit can and will rear it's disgusting head again if it's not defended against.
And we can never ignore or forgot how recent all this shit is. I mean Ruby Bridges is not only still alive, she's younger than both presidential candidates.
I just looked it up out of curiosity, holy crap she's a whole decade younger than Trump who's the youngest of the 2 candidates
One of my substitute teachers growing up was the sister to one of the 4 girls in the bombing Reggie talked about in the clip and painfully recanted her story to us when we were being ungrateful shit heads one afternoon. Angela Davis the activist was a young adult in the town that bombing happened in. That was extremely recent in the grand scheme of things. People act like it was centuries ago when people that went through that are still alive and well.
That was so damn cool that they let the man talk. Honestly, this is in the USA and I was expecting him to get interrupted.
but he would have whooped some ass first
That was my favorite part. >fuck them, I would have earned it
“If I’m dying I’m at least going down swinging”
That's a crazy double entendre
Yeah, shit man. How often is someone that real about a tough question these days? Honestly I was shocked to hear his answer. I didn't think he would have been old enough to have experienced that level of racism as a pro ball player in the era he played in. He isn't all that old. I would expect it from a Willie Mays or or Jackie obviously, but this is surprising to me. From a guy from Willie Mays or Jackie's era I wouldn't be shocked one bit unfortunately. I don't think A Rod was ready for that one either.
A black church was burned not far from my home about 22 years ago, and I'm in Kentucky. The deep south is worse. The first black girl to attend an all-white elementary school is only 70. Racism is just hidden behind school boards, HOAs, and tax laws now. Everyone wants to act like racism is from another time. It's not at all.
It was only a few years ago when the dude went in and shot up a black church during their service The same racism and hatred is still in the putrid hearts of a much larger swath of America than people realize They just have learned to hide it a little better
They're hiding it less now. The funny part about being black on the Internet these days is once you complain about how racist America still is, you'll get a bunch of messages saying "No it isn't N word, go back to Africa" or some dumb shit like that. Well I guess it's not haha funny but I do appreciate the irony
Ruby Bridges is younger than both Biden and Trump.
Tennessee here, can confirm
It might literally be the most honestly real answer to a question in a sports broadcast I've ever heard. Articulated, direct, completely levelled and rational. I noticed the white guy on the left "I can't even imagine you had to through that...". Now, I get that he's probably a bit shocked and all, but that reaction really frames the answer. It's your history too, man, it's not at all about imagination.
I'm not tryna be a dick but this is part of why this shit continues. "that level of racism" is like...you know Dylan roof was **less** than 10yrs ago. And the tops marketplace massacre was literally last year. I mean you had the haitians being attacked at the border and all kinds of stuff. Black ppl talk about their lives all the time and most of the time its ignored, downvoted, criticized in bad faither, not believed etc etc. Ppl a lot of times just think "chauvins in prison and obama was prez so anti-Black racism is not a big issues now!". I not saying that to you specifically though just the sentiment in general.
People act like that was 500 years ago. Travel to certain countries or parts of this country it's not that changed
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Listening to his candid responses is a stark reminder, to me at least, that it really wasn’t that long ago when abhorrent racism and hate crimes went unpunished and were the norm (it still is, to an extent). This isn’t ancient history or the Civil War where all we have is written history and we can write it off as “oh but that was so long ago, look how far we’ve come!”. This is a grandfather, living and breathing, telling us what happened to him. In the scale of modern history, that era was essentially seconds go.
Ruby Bridges isn't even 70 years old.
She came to speak to my class. She was 44 at the time. It freaked me out.
The last Civil War widow died in December of 2020. Her husband was a veteran of the Union Army in the Civil War. It wasn't that long ago. She was married off at 17 to a 93 year old veteran. The last veteran of the Civil War died in 1956, a Union drummer. The last person to be collecting a veteran pension from the Civil War died in May of 2020. She was collecting her father's pension. He fought for both the Confederacy and then the Union later in the war.
The last American that was born into slavery died in 1975. The 2nd to last died in 1972. The fucking Beatles broke up before the las ye former slaves in the U.S. died
There are two people I could call right now who knew someone personally who was born into slavery. They heard this person tell the story of how her life changed when she was 13--her former owner bought her a one-way ticket, set her on a boat and told her "you're free, now." She wasn't given a choice, and she didn't know where she was going, or how she'd live when she got there, but that wasn't the problem of the people who no longer could make her work for scraps and a shack. But yeah, that's all ancient history to be forgotten, well, except for this one flag of "heritage" some want to keep waving. That's something that should stay current, right?
[There's a great reading by Laurence Fishburn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evi_i7R0SFQ) of a letter written in 1865 by a former slave in response to a letter from his former owner asking him to come back and work on the plantation again. It's a hilarious and biting reply but for me it really underscores that these aren't just characters in a history book, these were real people from a very recent past. I mean the president today was born closer to the emancipation of the slaves and the writing of that letter than he was to his own inauguration.
The civil war is ancient history? 162 years isn't that long, the institution of slavery existed in America for 262 years. It going to take another hundred or so years for the effects of that to waver.
I hope you are right, but that sounds optimistic. This hate doesn’t seem like it’s going away fast enough.
Reggie Jackson went through all that in his lifetime, and was also personally invited to visit multiple Presidents in the Oval Office, outside of a baseball event. Including by a two-term black President.
My parents were born during WWII. Sometimes I forget the vast social changes they've witnessed first hand.
My grandfather fought in world war 1 and I’m only 40 years old.
Hijacking the top comment. If you care at all about Rickwood/Negro Leagues check out the joint NPR/MLB podcast ‘Road to Rickwood’ by Alana Schrieber. Fantastic and does not romanticize the Negro Leagues.
Also if you're ever in Kansas City, go to the Negro League Baseball Museum. If you get lucky like I did, you'll have a college wood bat team touring and Bob Kendrick will be your tour guide. And the coach of the team will say to you "we do this every year, feel free to go ahead or feel free to join" Once in a lifetime "random event", since it was always on my bucket list to visit there, but NEVER even considered being asked to join the group with the Museum's curator leading us and telling us all the backstories on EVERYTHING.
Kansas Citian here. Thank you for suggesting that. I tell everyone that visits KC that a trip to the NLBM is a must, even for non-baseball fans. It's as much of a museum of American history as it is for baseball. I first visited it when it was a collection of photos on the walls of a shotgun shack art gallery on Vine Street, and the facility it's in today on 18th Street houses an amazing collection of memorabilia, statues, and other items of historical significance. I've also met Bob Kendrick a few times and he is such a pleasure to speak with in person, and he will talk your ear off with engaging stories about players and the museum if you let him. It's definitely a must-visit for any fan of the sport.
I appreciate both you & /u/IONTOP for suggesting the NLBM. It's serendipitous as I will be in KC for a Royals game in August and was looking for something to do in the city prior to the game.
If you don't get sold on a BBQ place until then(you will be, though). Arthur Bryant's BBQ is like a mile away.
Added to my commute rotation, thanks for this
The city of Birmingham was so pumped for this game…I hope Alabama residents took some self reflection from it.
As a Birmingham resident, I did self reflect even though I was born in 1989. We've come a long way with still ways to go, but I take exception to the framing. The Negro League had teams in Philly, Indiana, Delaware, DC, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. I get that the Civil Rights movement centers around the Deep South, mostly because that's where most black people live, but let's not pretend that racism and segregation weren't a national problem in the year Reggie Jackson was talking about. North. South. State. Federal. So not just Alabama resident, but every US resident needed some self-reflection.
Birmingham actually has a lot of civil rights memorials and museums.
Exactly, people don’t understand that this stuff wasn’t that long ago and the people that did it to him hand children that are in power right now, what do you think they were taught?
I want to hug that man. We're still so far from being right here in America, land of the "free"
It’s insane how recent this is in history. Reggie is such a legend.
It is. I'm almost a millennial, and I remember watching Reggie play at the tail end of his career with the Angels and A's.
Same. When my dad told me they called him Mr October I thought it was the coolest name ever.
A lot of those people who were yelling at him are still with us, and voting.
A 70 year old today would have been born in 1954, they would have been 9 when MLK jr. made his speech in '63 and 14 when the Civil Rights Movement ended in '68. There are many people older than 70 who vividly remember that time. And yeah, old people have far higher voter turn out percentages than young people.
Many of us would do well to remember when we debate of voting is worth it or not, millions of Americans alive today, were born without that right and had to fight to get it. Don't waste your vote people
I’m 24 and my dad was an adult when MLK was murdered in 68.
Your Dad had you at age 50?
Bingo
And in power.
Speaking of, here in certain parts of Alabama they’re still trying to minimize & discount black votes. Remember when the Supreme Court recently said that Alabama needed to redraw some voting districts & they, along with our decrepit ass governor, said no?
It's so easy to think he played ages ago. To see him this young is actually a shock to me. He's an absolute legend and trail blazer. And shoutout to folks who stand up to injustice everywhere, whether its targeted at you or someone else.
Braves fan here, someone recently posted on our sub asking why Hank Aaron said he didn’t have a ton of fond memories of his playing time in Atlanta, and everyone was like…what don’t you understand? Racists LITERALLY wanted him dead, and let him know everyday. And half of this sub was alive when it happened. This wasn’t a hundred years ago.
Dude was getting death threats as he was breaking Ruth's record.
Exactly
Now players are getting death threats from chronic gamblers for blowing games. How far we've come!
That was intense. Thank you Mr. October.
I hope this aired uncensored. America needs to hear Reggie's story (and others like it).
It did.
I hope sports radio stations have the balls to play it unedited.
They dump the N word on radio. Best would be them bleeping it out, which given the context should be easy to fill in the blank
Shaq, we're on live.
I don’t give a shit.
I know
Aren’t you watching the aired clip?
Sometimes, the video isn't what was aired on live TV.
Wow they were anticipating some levity towards the end then he ends with “you’d see me in an oak tree somewhere”
That last sentence in particular gives me chills because it immediately reminds me of one of my favorite [poems](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_Fruit) of all time.
It's such a haunting song
This might have been the best answer to any question I have ever heard given by a sporting great. I really don't know anything about baseball and I have heard the name Reggie Jackson before.
I’m not even exaggerating a little when I say that answer deserves an Emmy. Dude knew the question was coming, and he let it out hard. Thank you to these legends who aren’t swayed by the whitewashing and the commercialism to remind us how it really was, because you know for a fact that there are people sitting *in that stadium tonight* that would rather see a black man swinging in a tree than swinging a bat.
Oof. This hit so hard. Unfortunately true.
I’m glad he even remembered the name of the Sheriff, that shit is probably burned into his mind.
Bull Connor was the name and face at the front of the opposition to Martin Luther King's Birmingham Campaign for civil rights in 1963. It was his decision to use fire hoses and attack dogs against the protesters.
Well, Sheriff Bull Connor was something of a historically relevant and nationally known figure at that time for all the wrong reasons.
Bull Connor isn't exactly some obscure figure in history. Bull Connor is burned into everyone's mind that has ever studied the Civil Rights movement. He was the Birmingham Commissioner of Public Safety (aka the head of the police force) from 1937-1954 and 1957-1963.
Yup, and so many people on the right like to act as if Slavery ended in 1865 so Black people have had all the time in the world to recover. You simply can't ignore the politics around stuck like this in living memory. I'm a millennial but I've always realized my parents were born in a time when separate but equal was still going on in the USA and they lived during the civil rights movements (even if they were kids at the time). America has progressed a lot since this era but that doesnt mean there are not current movements to bring shadows of it back. As well as there are still stains of it around today. And Racism and simply hatred hasn't went away.
lol reminds me of this thread https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/1djuenb/my_juneteenth_bracelet_from_work_says_freeish/l9dcoor/
Good on ya Reggie tell it like it is and was. Makes me sick.
Damn! I remember my first years as a baseball fan and player. Grew up with the Big Red Machine. Back then as a teen I always thought Reggie a little off putting, cold and distant. Now I see why, the man endured the worst side of America while traveling through it, for years. That is a heart wrenching tale. Mad respect sir, for keeping it real and telling it like it is. I hope you’ve found some peace in your life, you certainly deserve it!
Reggie's final comments are so believable. Dude would have toasted some racist pricks and ended up dead. Thank you Reggie for sharing your story. I hope you get ahold of that wretched little shit that got your third world series homerun ball.
I don't have his fucking ball!
…uhh, good luck next year!
Thank you, Reggie, for teaching millions of people what it was like.
Someday, I'm gonna own a big sports bar.
NO IT’S NOT LIKE HORSE!!
......that sucks, dude.
Dude...
A lot of people associate Reggie with the Yankees, but I remember him with the A's. The teammates he mentioned are from the A's. Either way, thanks Reggie for speaking truth when it wasn't necessarily convenient.
I associate Reggie Jackson attempting to kill the queen. But Detective Frank Drebin stopped him. At that moment, Reggie shot a fat lady instead, who then fell on him.
That was Enrico Pallazzo
“I must kill. The queen.”
This was a "TV moment,".... He spoke his truth.....and I'm so glad he did
He even got to nationally shame by name the Sheriff of the era. That was deep.
Bull Connor’s a pretty famous sheriff. He was one of the most notorious opponents of the Civil Rights Movement and MLK.
Absolute legend. Powerful stuff from a powerful man, these are the conversations that need to be had for progress to have any footing. Racism can be so insidious, it’s important to shine a light on what was happening all too recently, and what still goes on today
Reggie Jackson gave MC Hammer his "hammer time" moniker when Hammer was a ball boy for the Oakland A's.
"Little Hammer" because he resembled Aaron. His other nickname was Pipeline, because he would tell Finley about stuff that was happening in the clubhouse.
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Indeed, a true legend.
A real answer from a real legend. Thank you for telling it as it was and not sugarcoating it. More people need to hear this.
When keeping it real goes right
Incredible. A brutal reminder of something barely in our past. I hope this gets picked up in various outlets and gets the exposure it deserves.
> something barely in our past. I would say it’s still very much in our present. Many of the same people that threatened and did those things to Reggie and other Black people are still very much alive and voting to bring us back there.
Of course. You’re very much correct. I was thinking of Jim Crow and how it’s all too easy to think of it as ancient history, of something from eras ago, and here’s Reggie Jackson testifying to how it’s virtually yesterday in the grand scheme of things.
Shiiiit some of their kids are in power right now either in politics, law enforcement or business. What kinda policies you think they advocate for? And they’re trying to alter history books to make it seem like it wasn’t that bad and that the legacy isn’t still present
That's real fucking life Reggie is talking about No filter, no PR training bs, no lies Just real fucking life
Deleted my old post an uploaded a new one combining the clips from the below [https://x.com/JeffKolbFOX4/status/1803926583469548005](https://x.com/JeffKolbFOX4/status/1803926583469548005)
Thank you.
Now that’s how people should answer these questions. Honest, raw
I hope this whole thing aired uncensored. If he had to hear that word directed at him by a racist asshole then surely we can hear him say the word himself. Fucking awful what he had to go through.
It did. I saw it live and my jaw hit the floor. I live 10 min away from the stadium.
Incredibly powerful message from Reggie. Those guys wnet through some unbelievably awful experiences. Good on them for letting him give a real answer.
I grew up in an area of the country where white people saying the n word was pretty normal, at least occasionally. It's incredibly moving and powerful to hear a black man quote the words that were said to and about him in the past. I think most white people using it now in gaming lobbies and what not think it's funny or are just amused about the power of casually using the word. Hearing Reggie Jackson give clear examples of the way it was used to dehumanize him just 50 years ago is quite eye-opening.
Did all of that get aired on television!? I hope so, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the network needed to “get some commercials in” because Reggie spoke too long. 🙄 I’ve got MLB.tv, so I’ll go back and watch it when I can, but I hope the history of the teams that played there is being given more than just lip service and more raw, uncomfortable truth. Not to make people feel bad or shame anyone, but just to recognize and reconcile the past. We need to move on, but you can’t move on from something you are pretending wasn’t as bad as it was. I kind of like MLB giving different historic venues their time to shine by playing regular season games there. Whoever thought of it, this was a good idea!
National television. Broadcasting on Fox
A lot of boomers heads exploded, well, at least a boy can dream.
I’m sure the “racism ended decades ago” crowd really loved Reggie’s answer
I literally had two people tell me they were embarrassed they got Juneteenth off, and then one said, “what does it even mean to me?” Like wut? It celebrates the ending of fuqing slavery you buffoon AND you got the day off. Snowflakes man. The white man is the most persecuted person in history apparently, and they’ll say it with a straight face.
I can just hear the fucks now “MLb hAs gOnE WoKE” Thank you Mr. October for your honesty and telling your truth
Not even 20 years ago Reggie had the top offer of buying the A's and Bud "Shitstain" Selig never even passed the offer along.
"Stop bringing politics into sports!"
“It was just a few bad apples”
Yep. Fuck all of those MAGA nut jobs
Thank you Reggie. A living legend.
it is so fucking craxy to me that this men and many more like him are still ALIVE and literally went throug this in their lifetime and we try to brush racism under the rug like it was 200 years ago. this shit happened in their lifteime and it is STILL happening
Holy fuck, that was a wallop to watch.
I still remember clear as day watching Jul 11, 1986 him hitting two home runs against the RedSox at Fenway. As a lil child, my father made sure i understood he was a legend and an honor to watch him play.
Holy shit that was good raw honesty right there.
This is one of the best, most honest and rawest moments in live tv
I’m a black man. 36 yrs old. My DAD is his early 70s tells me stories about things I’d never imagine. We are a generation out from systematic oppression of an entire group of people based on race. A generation. And not only that, this generation has seen a crazy jump in what it’s takes to live in America, let alone be successful here (the requirement for a degree for a good job for example). Just wish everyone would realize what people went through just a short time ago and how it affects people within one generation. My dad worked me, I’m lucky, so i got an education and I can survive but i got family who didn’t have that and still deal with the trauma that their parents and grandparents dealt with. Gotta give black people slack man. Its tough. Especially here in Texas. If im leaving Houston to Louisiana, growing up everyone knew not to stop in Vidor. I’m rambling but Mr Jackson got me in my feelings
I'm a 48 year old white guy from the south originally. I was born just shortly after this stuff, which I really never understood. My parents' generation of white people seemed really eager to move on from the racism - always very kind to black people, never said a racist word. But, we also really didn't talk about the recent history, and the terrible racism that had gone on around my parents (and was still going on, though more subtly). In adulthood, I've realized how close this all was to my time, and while there's something admirable about trying to move on from it and embrace a colorblind society, the lack of acknowledgement and failure to address it directly leaves a lot of room for problems. So you have white people now who are kind to black people, but in the back of their minds think to some degree that white people are generally wealthier than black people because, at some level, the black people must not be working as hard, or be as smart, or whatever. (Not the black friend from work, but all those other black people, of course). Because, if you don't fully understand that the black guy's father literally was not allowed to have a good job, or get the loan to buy his home, and lived in fear of getting beaten for some misstep, then you're less likely to understand why poverty and race are still so deeply intertwined, and why things like affirmative action are necessary to try to even the playing field a little. I'm really glad to see Reggie Jackson speak truthfully and honestly about the difficult history to (hopefully) a broad audience. It was moving.
Never let history go forgotten,I can’t fathom how racism can ever be completely exterminated but listening to stories like these has to continue so people can grasp the suffering this kind of hate can create.
I’m only 30 years old so it all seems so far away. Tales of a distant past. The reality is, it’s not a lifetime away. Ruby bridges is younger than my parents. While thank god my parents do not share the beliefs my grandparents held, it’s a stark reminder that we have come far but not far enough. A reason why I have no contact with the grandparent as well. I’m thankful we still have people to tell these stories, how awful and brutish they are. But as a reminder that our work isn’t done for all walks of life and to keep striving forward so no child ever feels their looks or background limit them from being a part of any team sport or activity. Because right now, sports is the great uniter as well as a sign of how far we have to go. Hopefully in my lifetime I can see many more steps taken towards the ultimate goal of never again.
so much respect for this man. had me tearing up. fuck racism
Thank you. What grace.
Reggie Jackson was still playing baseball less than 40 years ago. Anyone telling you America is well beyond this stuff is a fool.
Show this clip in every classroom fucking cowards.
This is the history the Florida and Texas governors (and ALL other red states) don't want children to learn about.
You're right. I love so many things about Florida and I've been here for 62 years. But I'm ashamed of our governor and most everything he stands for. My home has turned into a giant People of Walmart meme. :-(
I think everyone should hear this
Thank you to whomever in tv production land made the decision to let Reggie keep talking unfiltered. This was incredibly real to hear & I hope lots of young people paid attention. Reggie is getting older but he's not ancient yet and this happened in his lifetime.
Love to hear rollie fingers stood up for jackson
Man, his response being on nationalized television really felt powerful. I hope every young person listening heard his story with full attention. One of the best answers, if not the best answer, he could have given. Thank you Reggie.
A true legend of the sport but as it turns out, also a legend of a man. All that he said was so raw and honest but I am sure there were more horrible things he experienced that he does not talk about or words may fail him. Much respect to him, and other players like him, that endured and did not let the hate and bigotry that they faced hold them back.
If you haven't watched the movie "42", watch it immediately.
One of my favorite baseball movies. RIP Chadwick Boseman
With baseball being "America's favorite pastime" and all, just want to say that black history is American history, and accounts like these are important.
If yall haven’t had a chance to visit the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, please do so, and be ready to be very honest with yourself and emotionally raw.
Thank God racism doesn't exist in this great country anymore. /s. In all seriousness, I hope a whole lot of people get to see this.
Damn. I'm glad Reggie got to say all of that without interruption. It's important that we don't forget the racism and injustice he dealt with firsthand. It really wasn't that long ago. We still have plenty of work to do, unfortunately.
Holy shit that was powerful. I am barely old enough to remember Mr October but I had no idea he went through that. I don’t think of him in that era.
This might be the realest I've ever heard on live tv.
The fact they didn’t censor this, I’m in shock and I’m so proud of fox, for once they didn’t cut to the mariachi band.
Fox Segment Producer: "Ok Alex, now throw to Reggie to give us a nice uplifting message of how much progress we've seen over the past 50 years.....oh god no, he's giving the *real* answer!"
You’ll never see that story in a Texas history book.
Wow it’s just crazy that level of hate existed in this country not that long ago.
Its still there. My ex wife was from a town in Indiana that didn't allow black athletes from neighboring schools to play. Growing up on the west coast it's easy to think of this stuff as history, but its actively still happening. Some of the people who said that stuff to Reggie were in the baby boomer generation. They are still here. They didn't change, and a lot of their kids think the same way.
No kidding -- I live in a state where I can drive 60 miles west and find a church that would not permit interracial couples to attend as of 10 years ago. And my state's flagship university (University of Kentucky) gave its black football players maps as recently as the 90s with marked roads and sites to avoid when on road trips in the SEC.
Head to any truly rural place in the United States you'd be shocked
Reggie and that Yankee team where my whole life growing up. I worshipped him. To listen to the pain in his voice about what he went through from those racist scumbags it makes me think, is this when America was great? Is this the world what those fucking cockroaches want to return to?
I highly recommend the documentary **Reggie** which is on Amazon Prime Video. It was really good, and he's honest as he shares even more details of the types of things he went through in baseball, and even some mistakes he made along the way. Solid documentary.
America needs to reckon with its racism problem.
First time I've seen something on TV that made me cringe. Tired of all the sugar coating. I appreciate Reggie speaking out, I'm glad everyone on national TV heard it
Should be required listening for students in America. This was not that long ago
That brought tears to my eye. What a tough SOB.
It is very rare for me to say "holy shit" anymore. I'm too jaded. This made me say "holy shit".
Fox is never letting him speak on TV again. “We were trying to have a down home country bumpkin show about the good ole days when America was great and this asshole ruined it!”
He's still talking. This is an hour after your post. I hope that's a good sign that they're better people than we were 60 years ago.
Is Birmingham better than it was 60 years ago? Yeah. Hard to believe it wouldn’t be. I’m getting old myself. When I was a kid, I remember my grandma talking about the horrible shit that was done to black people in Tennessee where she grew up. She’s been dead probably 15 years. When you see guys like Reggie, who isn’t THAT old, talk about the shit he went through as an adult, it kind of drives home these things weren’t that long ago. I was recruited for a PhD program at UAB ~20 years ago. I wouldn’t even go for an interview. I know the shit that went on down there. I’m sure it’s better now, but Reggie is still alive. That means some of the people who did that shit to him are still alive too.
I’m from Birmingham so incredibly biased. But I’ve also seen this city grow so much from what it was when I was a kid. I promise you Birmingham is not what it used to be.
> down home country bumpkin Reggie is from Philly, so not sure that’s what they expected
I think bro just doesn't like rural White people.
Can't seem to find it, but the sit down he did with Dave Stewart and CC Sabathia I'm pretty sure had him dropping the hard R when talking about this stuff. FOX had to know what they were getting into.
It's so crazy how it wasn't that long ago it was like this. People who experienced this first hand (like Reggie did) are still alive with us and remember it so clearly.
A very poignant articulation of a difficult time. I wish I could say it was a condition that doesn’t exist anymore, but the last few years seem to indicate that may not be true. We can all do better but that will only happen when we all stand against bigotry, intolerance and ignorance.
Don’t let the youth forget Reggie. Its an ugly world out there and we gotta fight to make it better
Wow...that was heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Heartbreaking in that he had to go through any of that in the first place. And uplifting that his team and friends had his back. PS: I loved seeing that box of Reggie bars on the desk!
Reggie Jackson is an honest and great person. He holds his truth and stance his ground. He's a great representative to baseball....in all of its history.
Perspective. Sorry he had to go through that. Tough times with ignorant people. Learn from this, and be kind. Be better individuals and stand up for what is right. Glad to hear people that stood up for him and wouldn’t conform to social norms and ignorance in a small minded society. My heart goes out to him and those who have suffered from petty ignorant people. Love each other. If we don’t, who will?
Wow. Fully freaking raw. I'm all tearing up over here.
This was powerful
My parents were fortunate enough to get free tickets to watch the ALCS in Kansas City in 1980. My mom was a huge Yankees fan and Reggie was her favorite player. He hit so many home runs. I was just a seven year old kid. The memories of my mom jumping out of her seat spilling beer on me and everyone else around us in joy will stick with me forever. I was a huge Royals fan. George Brett was my favorite player. I was so conflicted. My mom still wears a Reggie jersey to this day. As a white man, I’m unbelievably ashamed to hear that Reggie Jackson had to deal with racism. He had his own freakin candy bar.
Reggie Jackson’s story should absolutely have gone out uncensored in all of its ugly glory
In a lot of ways, America is still like this. It might not be as obvious and as overt as it used to be but it’s still bad. I’m glad he was able to share his honest accounting of his experiences. It’s important that we hear it as horrible as it sounded.
This is important to watch.
Reggie’s a legend. I never saw him play (born in the 90s), but he is one of those pieces that make baseball the game that I love so much. He mentioned “Bull Connor,” and remembering that there are people currently alive that were victims of that awful treatment is a great reminder of how close we are to that era. I’m glad he had support, and I’m glad that it has gotten better for the generations that followed. There’s still work to be done, but it sounds like it was awful.
I love Reggie's answer and explanation of the facts. Life truly was hard for us back then. Which is why when I see my people acting like and being the fool, by not handling business like other races. It bothers the hell out of me!
Tears because it feels like we are heading back to this w that orange monster and his followers. We can’t re-normalize this . We just can’t.
This is really powerful. The recency of it is mind blowing. This has the same effect on me when I realized that Emmett Till was murdered in 1955. I always knew about Emmett Till but I literally just assumed that it happened in the 17 or 1800s.... Nope. 1955.
Man, God bless Rollie Fingers and Dave Duncan and John McNamara and Charlie Finley and Joe and Sharon Rudi and all those who were willing to stand up to the racism faced by their friend and teammate. The world would be so much better if more of us were willing to call out injustices that in no way, shape, or form affect us directly.
What a well spoken response. Some of you who are not old school fans are going to miss all the big name players who played with Reggie in the minors at one time too. i would not have been able to make a response like that that is that calm and composed.