Mr. October Had MVP Efforts Off Field, Too

According to the book “Damned Yankees,” by Bill Madden and Moss Klein, Reggie Jackson could be caring as well as outrageous.

The book, due out in April, describes how Travis John, 3-year-old son of pitcher Tommy John, went into a coma for 17 days after falling from a second-story window. Jackson visited him daily afterward.

Sally John, Tommy’s wife, recalled that one day Jackson “grabbed one of those Muppet puppets that Jim Henson had sent over. He put it on his hand and started shaking it in front of Travis’ face, all the while moving its mouth and talking for it. He was making jokes about George (Steinbrenner) and things.

“All of a sudden, you could see the corners of Travis’ mouth form into a tiny, tiny grin. It was the first time he had shown any sign of movement.”

Travis John made a full recovery. He threw out the first ball at a Yankee game, after which a photo was taken of Travis being hugged by Jackson. It now hangs on Travis’ bedroom wall and is inscribed: “To Travis, a great friend in one of my fondest moments. Your friend forever, Reggie Jackson.”

Trivia time: Seton Hall is on a pace to become only the fifth team in the 51-year history of the NCAA basketball tournament to reach the title game one season and finish below .500 the next. Name the others.

Body and soul: Martina Navratilova, on her motivation to play pro tennis at age 33: “It used to be, I just wanted to be No. 1. I didn’t care how. Now it’s a combination of the competition, and the ability to do with a ball what I want with it. I mean exactly. To put it on a dime, with the right speed and the right spin. I love that. And giving it everything, my heart, my soul, and my body too.”

On thin ice: Minnesota North Star goalie Jon Casey, after being pulled from a recent game, skated to the bench, gestured to Coach Pierre Page with his stick, then broke it in two, threw off his gloves, and slammed the bench gate. Said Page: “At least he showed me some spirit.”

Dying to win: Dick Motta, coach of the Sacramento Kings, looking ahead to next season: “We’re not going to trot out virgins or anything so dramatic, but there will definitely be some sacrifices made.”

Trivia answer: Michigan State, NCAA champion in 1979, fell to 12-15 the season after Magic Johnson became a Laker. Iowa made the title game in 1956, then struggled the next season; the same happened to Bradley (1950), Dartmouth (1944) and Stanford (1942).

Quotebook: Boxing promoter Don King, on the breach-of-contract suit he filed to gain control of Buster Douglas’ next fight: “I believe in America.”