Billy Martin and 1977 Yankees team Featured Card of the Week

 
Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Ron Guidry, Chris Chambliss, Willie Randolph, Roy White, Sparky Lyle, and Billy Martin. The 1977 Yankees: World Series champs.

The only guy missing from this picture is George Steinbrenner, unless he is that man wearing black standing in the upper-right part of the card.

Note: It’s too bad the card companies don’t put a lot of value into printing team cards any more. They’re pretty cool, I think.

A great chance to give on Thanksgiving

The Yankees Double-A team’s clubhouse manager Tom Kackley is holding his annual charity auction to benefit Domestic Violence Project.

To help the great cause, place your bids on some cool pieces of Yankees memorabilia. The most expensive items include bats from Austin Jackson and Reggie Jackson, but you’ll also find stuff from Andy Pettitte, Jesus Montero, Austin Romine and many more.

The auction expires next Wednesday, so hurry up and purchase a holiday gift to support Tom’s effort.

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On that note, I’d like to wish everyone reading a Happy Thanksgiving! It’s hard to put into words how much you, the readers, mean to me. You keep me going, and I’m thankful to have been writing here for almost two years now.

I don’t expect a lot of Yankees news to break on the holiday, if any, so this will probably be it for the day. Enjoy your turkey, or for some of you, your tofu turkey!

Steinbrenner to be honored tonight, E:60 tomorrow

The Yankees are dedicating a monument in honor of George M. Steinbrenner tonight. Notables to be in attendance include Joe Torre, Don Mattingly, Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson.

ESPN’s E:60 will air a documentary for Steinbrenner Tuesday night.

Steinbrenner was more than just one of the greatest owners in sports history. If you’ve seen the Yankeeography for him, I bet you’ve already learned a ton about him you didn’t expect.

If you have some time, check out my archive on The Boss here.

Reggie Jackson Featured Yankee Card of the Week

I chose this card of Reggie Jackson in honor of his 563 career home runs, as he was surpassed last week by Alex Rodriguez, and dropped to 12th on the list of all-time home run leaders. 

The Yankees signed Jackson before the 1977 season, and he led them to a championship that year and in ‘78. He earned the nickname “Mr. October” when he hit three homers on three consecutive pitches in the ‘77 World Series against the Dodgers.

This card is a 2001 Upper Deck Legends of New York Banner Seasons, and has little value. It is one of a 200-card set that features nearly all of the “legends of New York.” The set is interesting, because the team name on the front of each card is made of felt that actually juts out from the card.

'The Bronx is Burning' is back

If you didn't catch the ESPN mini-series "The Bronx is Burning" in the summer of  2007, those of you who have MSG will get a second chance.

Yankees legend Reggie Jackson plus many more share their memories of playing in New York in MSG’s The Bronx is Burning!!! Tune in to MSG's special presentation of The Bronx is Burning Sundays at 9pm starting April 5, followed by an exclusive look back at the Summer of ‘77.

Watch a clip right now:

http://www.msg.com/summerof77/

I am one of those who did see it in 2007 and I thought it was a good representation of the 1977 Yankees season.  Although I wasn't around back then, my dad said the show featured an accurate portrayal of George Steinbrenner and Reggie Jackson.

A-Rod's homer bigger than it seems

I had an epiphany when I woke up this morning.

Although Alex Rodriguez's two-run homer against the Blue Jays yesterday was just in a spring training game, I think the homer proves to us his focus and confidence is with the team.

Reggie Jackson, current Yankees special advisor, talked with Bryan Hoch about the home run after the game yesterday.

"We all know he can play baseball," Jackson said.  "If this does one thing, maybe what we saw today is that he's got an ability to concentrate.

Jackson is absolutely right here.  Who would have thunk, after all the PED controversey and spotlight on A-Rod, that he could jump right out of the gates and smash a homer in the first game he's played in months. 

If A-Rod can keep focused on winning and avoid getting involved negatively with the media, then Yankee fans can and should expect a big season from him.

Coming from a guy who hates A-Rod's guts, that's saying a lot.

Photo from CBS