Cheltenham’s Reggie Jackson, Astros adviser, challenges Harper, Phillies

In May 2021, baseball Hall of Famer and Cheltenham native Reggie Jackson traded in his Yankees pin stripes for a Houston Astros cap. He had been a special adviser to the Yankees since 1993, and he’s been a special adviser to Astros owner Jim Crane since the change. That means competing against his hometown in the World Series.

“I have so much gratitude toward the organization and to be able to play in front of a fan base like this in Philadelphia,” Jackson told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I don’t think about anything else besides trying to go out there and win for them.”

As his childhood home in Wyncote continues to hang in the balance, Mr. October wants a strong finish to the season from both teams.

“I want to see [Bryce] Harper finish like he started,” Jackson said. “But I want to win. I want us to win.”

Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper

Jackson and Harper are separated by vastly different eras in baseball, yet they have one thing in common: an ability to thrive when the chips are down. Jackson once hit 3 home runs in one World Series game, and the Phillies unexpected playoff run has been anchored in part by Bryce Harper’s clutch performances.

“I know Bryce Harper is a good player. I think he’s moved himself up a notch,” Jackson said. “But it won’t matter if it stops. Now it counts. Now it starts. You’ve got to finish.”

For more on Reggie Jackson’s thoughts on the Phillies’ World Series, you can check out the Inquirer’s article here. Photo courtesy of USA Today and The Philadelphia Inquirer.