THE SIDELINES : Reggie Strikes Out With Chevies

Reggie Jackson, who hit 563 home runs in his 21 years in major league baseball, has struck out at selling Chevrolets in his hometown.

Jackson, who bought a block-sized dealership last year, saying he hoped to turn his lifelong love of automobiles to a profit, abruptly closed the business last week.

On Tuesday, a smiling caricature of Jackson, who played with the Athletics, Yankees, Orioles and Angels--and a sign promising “World Championship Service”--still decorated the showroom full of new cars, but the doors were locked.

It was unknown if the dealership had been sold. Jackson, who continues to operate car dealerships in Palo Alto and the Sierra town of Quincy, was not available for comment.

Employees and other car dealers speculated that Jackson was unable to sell enough American cars in Berkeley, where parking is difficult and foreign cars dominate the market.