Tying Mantle Gave Jackson Something to Remember

Reggie Jackson flipped on his own personal Reggievision--the recorder in his head, that is--before he had finished the swing. Then he paused for his famous stand-and-watch-it-go-out pose as home run No. 536 sailed into the right-field bleachers at Anaheim Stadium.

Jackson’s homer in the fifth inning off pitcher Bill Wegman in Sunday’s 5-1 Angel win over Milwaukee moved him into a tie with Mickey Mantle for sixth place on the all-time home run list. But it wasn’t just another milestone. At least not to Jackson.

“I wanted to remember everything,” Jackson said. “It’s tape-recorded in my mind, the pitch, how it left the bat, how it went into the stands, what I was thinking of as I circled the bases, touching home, whose hands I shook in the dugout, the ovation . . . all of it.

“Mickey Mantle is synonymous with the national pastime. When I was growing up, Mantle, Mays and Aaron were the guys. It’s nice to have your name associated with players like that.

“Yeah, it meant a lot to me.”

A lot of the names Jackson has passed on his climb up the all-time home run ladder are just that, names. But Mantle is a real-life legend, who crossed rookie Jackson’s path on the field in Kansas City one day in 1967.

“He was coming in from first and I was headed out to right.” Jackson recalled. “I looked down at his spikes and saw ‘Mantle, No. 7’ on the tongue and chills went up my spine.

“We almost bumped into each other and he stopped and said, ‘Go ahead, Reggie.’ I couldn’t believe he knew my name. He was always nice to me and when I became a Yankee, I tried to wear my pants, socks and stirrups just like he did.”

The two weeks leading up to Sunday’s milestone have been controversial, if not productive for Jackson. He carried the burden of a 3-for-31 slump into the game against the Brewers, but weighing heavily on his mind was the publicity--and possible legal action--involving a scuffle with a fan in a Milwaukee tavern.

“This is the first time in a long time something like this has affected me,” Jackson admitted. “It’s bothered me . . . that’s all I’ve got to say about it.”

Manager Gene Mauch, who said he thought Jackson had been “embarrassed” by the incident, defended his designated hitter.

“You know, a guy in his position can be right and still deemed to be wrong by a lot of people,” Mauch said. “I wouldn’t want to be Reggie Jackson for all the money in the world.”

When told of Mauch’s comment, Jackson smiled and said, “I’d be me for all the money in the world . . . but it’s tough.”

Jackson will turn 40 next Sunday, but he’s still got the kind of physique you try to avoid in a brawl.

Jackson, whose biceps have been growing as fast as his hair is receding, refuses to give in to old age. But now he’s saying he belongs at designated hitter after registering his complaints during spring training. He’s quick to add that it would be a different story if he could play in the field every day, though.

“I feel I should be DHing . . . especially if they’re gonna put me out there once every 35 days,” he said.

Last week, Jackson unleashed a string of obscenities at a writer he felt had made fun of his fielding, but, all-in-all, he’s maintained a sense of humor.

He got his first start of the season in right field the day after the roof partially collapsed at Minnesota’s Metrodome.

“They didn’t want the roof falling on anyone who counted,” Jackson said at the time.

He got his second start in the field last Wednesday against Toronto when the latest Brian Downing-Gary Pettis run-in left the Angels short of healthy outfielders.

“Hey Moose, I see that I’m in right tonight,” Jackson called to batting instructor Moose Stubing before the game. “You better hit me about three hours of bleeping fly balls.”

It didn’t help. Jackson attempted a diving catch of a Cliff Johnson drive down the line and came up empty. His 40-year-old eyes had a bead on the ball, but his 40-year-old legs couldn’t get him there in time.

Nobody’s ready to ask him to retire, though. He’s hitting .325 despite the mini-slump and who knows how many homers are left in those infamous black bats?

Jackson, for one, doesn’t think there will be any more meaningful than Sunday’s.

“I don’t think the impact can get any greater for me,” Jackson said. “Even if I returned to my old glory and hit 50 more, this would be the greatest moment for me.

“ Mickey Mantle . That’s like saying Johnny Unitas or Wilt Chamberlain. That’s a great American sports name.”

But then Reggie Jackson has a certain ring to it, too.

ALL-TIME CAREER HOME RUN LIST

500 OR MORE HOME RUNS

HR PLAYER HR/AB 755 Henry Aaron 16.38 714 Babe Ruth 11.76 660 Willie Mays 16.49 586 Frank Robinson 17.08 573 Harmon Killebrew 14.22 536 Reggie Jackson 17.14 536 Mickey Mantle 15.12 534 Jimmie Foxx 15.23 521 Willie McCovey 15.73 521 Ted Williams 14.79 512 Ernie Banks 18.40 512 Eddie Mathews 16.67 511 Mel Ott 18.50