Reggie Jackson’s brash presence in the Majors was so impactful that it’s almost impossible to picture him as a rookie, yet it once was so. The man who would go on to stir the drink in Oakland, Baltimore, New York and Anaheim was once a 21-year-old rookie called up to the Kansas City Athletics in June 1967. The newcomer didn’t exactly light the world on fire, hitting .178 in 35 games, but the next year he hammered 29 home runs, proving he was big league material.

This bat dates from Reggie’s first two seasons in the Majors. Hillerich & Bradsby K75 model bat shows tremendous use and a handle crack that has been glued. The barrel is covered with ball marks and stitch impressions as well as cleat imprints and bat rack paint streaks. A large black “X” and an illegible number has been hand lettered on the knob and the residue from a spiral of adhesive tape that once secured the crack can be seen on the handle. Jackson has signed the barrel in blue marker adding the phrase “gamer!” This is an important early Reggie Jackson bat that looks every inch the bat used by a brash rookie determined to make it in the Majors. The bat comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (G55695) for the game use, along with a LOA from JSA (Z83924) for the signature.

Auction Notepad