This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/18/2014.
Before earning the nickname “Mr. October” in the Bronx, Reginald Martinez Jackson’s career began as a Kansas City A in 1967. As a rookie that season, Reggie wore number “31” with the KC A’s for a brief time before wearing number “9”, the number he would wear from 1968-1974. During the 1967 season, Bob Duliba (5’10” 180lbs) also wore number “31” for seven games in Kansas City. Duliba started the season with the club and on May 11, was optioned to Vancouver. He did not return to the A’s thus making his final appearance in the Bigs on May 9, 1967 (confirmed in dated newspapers). Reggie (6’ 195 lbs) was called up on June 3, 1967 and was sent down on July 3rd. He was also recalled in September of 1967. In those days, A’s owner Charlie Finley was known to be extremely cheap making the chances of the A’s making a new number “31” home jersey for Reggie in 1967 highly unlikely. This shirt originates from a lot of 150 A’s flannel jerseys the team still retained that were purchased from a warehouse in the late 1970’s. It is accompanied by a photocopy of a 1967 box score listing “Jackson 31” as well as additional “Baseball Reference” and “Baseball Almanac” printouts listing “Jackson” on the starting roster for several games in June of 1967. On the front left tail is a “Wilson” size “44” manufacturer’s tag with washing instructions. Below is a yellow strip tag with, “67-2” embroidered on it in green chain-stitching. On the left chest is the team’s “A” logo. The "A" has been professionally restored with a vintage team logo that is a very good match. On the right chest and on the back is player number “31”. These are done in green on white tackle twill sewn directly onto the yellow vest. Jackson signed the jersey in black pen with the added inscription, “My 1967 Game Worn Rookie Jersey” and in our opinion rates a 7 overall. This jersey is properly tagged, was presented to us as game-used and in our opinion shows excellent use. Accompanied by an LOA from JSA, a photo, a scorecard printout and a newspaper article printout that shows Jackson in this style jersey.