It’s Reggie’s Last Tour Before New Duties

This is it for Reggie Jax.

This is the last season in the sun and under the lights for the greatest active home run hitter, baseball’s all-time hotdog, the one and only Reggie Jackson.

The reason he hasn’t made a formal announcement, Reggie says, believe it or not, is that he doesn’t want anyone to make a fuss. Honest.

He respects Julius Erving, who made a season-long, sentimental goodby tour of the National Basketball Assn., with ceremonies in every city. But . . .

“Dr. J’s a class act,” Reggie said Monday night when his Oakland A’s came to Anaheim to play the Angels, “but it’s too much for me. Too much. Last time around, each game gets held up 30 minutes, if my team is in the race . . . I don’t want it.

“The last time around, I’d just like to watch the people come to the ballpark, and I’ll just wave goodby. I had my day, man. I had lots of sunny days.”

Too bad. He could go out with fireworks and speeches. They could bill Reggie’s last season like a world tour by a rock group. Order some embroidered silk jackets. Call it “Reggie Across America.” Or, in honor of the slang term for a big swing--a hack--the A’s could call this season “Last Jax Hax.”

For sure, Reggie does plan to go out swinging like Reggie. None of that little ball, patty-cake stuff he tried briefly last year for Gene Mauch and the Angels.

“I’m going for the gusto,” Jackson said.

In other words, fans, you pay your money to see Reggie, you’re going to get max jax hax.

But is he really serious about retiring? What if he has a great season, hits .280 with 35 homers?

“That would be a great way to go out, wouldn’t it?” he said.

He’ll retire. And then, after a few months break, you’re going to get more Reggie, this time in the role of manager, general manager, third base coach, something, somewhere. He’ll be back next season. Al Campanis made sure of that.

Jackson has talked of eventually becoming a big-league general manager, and he said the A’s have at least discussed that possibility with him. I asked Reggie if the furor touched off by the Al Campanis statements has strengthened his intentions to become an executive.

“Yes,” Jackson said. “Rather than stay out (after retiring as a player) a year or two, take it easy, I’ve gotta take a job right away, make a sacrifice to make a commitment back to the community. The position baseball is in right now will make it easier for a guy like me to get into a front office. I don’t worry about being considered a token, people know better. I have a greater desire to get into a baseball job, rather than pass for a year or so.

“I’ll be more apt to consider a third base coaching job, a managerial job, for the good of my community. I will consider working in the Commissioner’s office, or in either league office. It’s needed for the black community. . . . This is a golden opportunity for some guy like myself, Billy Williams, Joe Morgan, Bob Gibson, Al Downing, Rod Carew . . .

“And not only can black people from baseball make a contribution to baseball, but do you have to have played baseball to be a team PR man, or a general manager, or an assistant general manager, or a farm director or advance scout? I have never seen a black receptionist at a major league level.”

Jackson indicated that he would decline the lucrative TV commentating jobs he’s likely to be offered, in order to work with a team. He made it clear, however, that he holds no ill will toward Campanis.

“Al Campanis is not a racist, he is not a prejudiced man,” Reggie said. “I do believe he meant what he said, but this is not a man with malice, this is not a bad man. I do believe he exemplifies the general feeling in the country, the feeling of 90% of the population beyond (age) 55.”

The upshot of Campanis’ downfall, Reggie believes, is that his statements lent substance to black protests about unequal opportunity in baseball and outside of baseball.

“Now when I say something in Minnesota (last season he blasted Twins management for a shortage of black players), It’s not just Reggie flapping his mouth again. Coretta King isn’t just defending the honor of her dead husband, and Rachel Robinson isn’t just crusading for a cause. Now we blacks who make statements have something to stand on.”

Meanwhile, Reggie has some more ball to play. He came to Anaheim hitting .200 after a recent slump. It was his first trip back to the ballpark that was his home for the past five seasons. Last year he lashed out at Angel management, expressed feelings of being unappreciated. Now, speaking more like a future general manager, he said he understands that the Angels had to dump him after last season, at age 40.

“They have two guys who have to play,” Jackson said. “(Jack) Howell and (Devon) White have to play.”

Someone asked Reggie if he would hit a home run his first game back to Anaheim, as he did in Yankee Stadium five seasons ago after the Yankees dumped him.

“Hey,” he said in mock protest. “I already hit one against ‘em, in Oakland (the first week of the season). I’m not (bleeping) David Copperfield. Tale of Two Cities. Let me slip in a (bleeping) single or something. The guy who does (dramatic) things like that is up at the Forum. Name of Magic. If I hit a (bleeping) homer tonight, I’m (bleeping) quitting.”

He lied. The Last Jax Hax have six more months, max.