Or at least, that's what the New York Post's Page Six wants us to believe:REGGIE "Mr. October" Jackson ended his career in 1987 playing for the Oakland A's - but he still pulls out the Yankees card when he needs it. The Bronx Bombers' former slugger was in town last week, and guests at the Regency were shocked to see him having an argument with the reception staff over rates. "He was upset about not getting 'the Yankee rate,' " our witness said. Jackson bitterly complained, but the hotel staff held firm and apparently didn't give him the discount.There's a "Yankee rate" for hotels? Is that only in New York, or does that extend to other AL East cities? (Because you never know when you might need a room when visiting a place like, oh, I don't know, Toronto.) Do you need a membership card, or does presenting an old baseball card of yourself wearing a Yankees cap usually do the trick?
All (bad) jokes aside, it's kind of sad to realize that our heroes of yesteryear have been relegated to run of the mill senior citizens haggling over the check. Present controversies aside, do you think Jason Giambi will ever care about getting the "Yankee rate?" I'm guessing his nine-digit contract will save him the indignity.
(via Ben Maller)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
6-25-2007 @ 4:01PM
gooey miles said...
Reggie why dont you sell one of those high dollar cars if your strapped for cash you cheap ahole your really not a true yankee likt thurman or Billy or the mick and the Babe and Joe D Icould go on and dont forget Yogi and Whitey
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6-25-2007 @ 4:09PM
Dave said...
Reggie's a good guy. When I was younger, my sister had health problems and was in a wheel chair. My family went to Cooperstown when Nolan Ryan and George Brett were inducted. Reggie was there signing autographs, and when he saw my sister in her wheelchair he held back the line and took pictures with her and talked to her for a couple minutes. He gave her a hall of fame beanie bag set thing. My sister didn't even plan on getting an autograph, but he went out've his way to take time out to talk to her. I still have pictures of it. He seemed like a great guy. There were no photographers or writers around so it was 100% genuine.
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6-25-2007 @ 4:34PM
ralp white said...
Reggie Jackson is a jerk. I witnessed his rudeness at the Barret-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ.
Some kids asked for his autograph and he snapped,saying' you want my free autograph so you can sell it on Ebay for a nice profit."?
He is unbelievably cheap.I know lots of people who have had dealings with him and he tries to use his Yankee stature to intimidate and beat people down on pricing.
Jackson also has the 'persecuted black man mentality.
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6-25-2007 @ 6:10PM
Rich said...
I recently saw Reggie Jackson at a private Q&A session for American ticket plan holders for - of all people - the Blue Jays (while the Yankees were in town, of course). He was tremendous. He didn't hold back in his answers to anyone, called people by name, was very frank about his past, warts and all, and spent a lot of time with us. If everyone had as much class and dignity as Reggie Jackson, we probably wouldn't need to have sports blogs.
As for the Yankee discount, hey, I'm not real happy if I don't get my AAA rate at the Holiday Inn either. We're all human, even living legends. Let him be.
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6-25-2007 @ 6:15PM
Scott said...
He's an a-hole. I saw him at a restaurant while in town for a card signing while back and he cursed a a few people who'd asked for his autograph. If you are SO bothered, then stay at home. He's an a-hole. Amazing that the people that buy his jerseys, and pay his fking mortgage are the ones he talks to like dirt. Go away Reggie.
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6-25-2007 @ 6:32PM
Brian Mac said...
What a cheap old man he has become. He wanted top dollar when he played but now he wants to low ball everyone................
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6-25-2007 @ 6:34PM
Brian Mac said...
reggie is a cheap old man...............
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6-25-2007 @ 6:53PM
jeff said...
I have met reggie on 2 occasions..and both times he was an complete asshole..!! experience#1:on a flight on then america west airlines from phoenix to new york..a young boy about 12 wearing a yankee cap with his mom asked him for his autograph and he snapped at this poor kid "do i look like i am giving autographs..??"..and #2: at a restaurant in san diego and all i said to him was hello..long time fan..hope you enjoyed your dinner..have a great night..his response..."i wouldn't be eating here if i didn't enjoy the food here"...what a total dick..so i am glad he got made to pay the "non" yankee rate..maybe he should have tried the A's/angels/oriole's rates as well...
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6-25-2007 @ 6:58PM
Bruce said...
Reggie walked by me at a spring game in tampa a couple of yrs. ago when I asked for his autograph he kept on walking. I remarked that I really didn't want his autograph anyway. A few minutes later he came by and motioned for me to give him something to sign. I cracked up laughing and so did he. A great moment. Why shouldn't he be entitled to the Yankee discount? He almost single handedly brought the Yanks a World Series title after 15 yrs.
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6-25-2007 @ 7:05PM
kennth said...
I've heard this statement many times before,the rich do not get rich,by spending more than they make.My mother once said, "the fastest way to get rich is to act poor, and the fastest way to be poor is to act rich." there's a story about Marion Jones being near broke, 69% of you do not feel sorry for her.
Reggie,keep you some money, i love you man.
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6-25-2007 @ 7:09PM
Frank said...
We all need to get a life. Hotel rates are so high these days that I don't blame Reggie one bit for being angry. I get mad at how high the rates are myself! And the last time I looked, the major hotel chains were 'cleaning up' financially so I will not shed one tear for them. Reggie just needs to shop around because I am sure there is a good hotel in NYC that will give him the best customer rate just to stay at their hotel!
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6-25-2007 @ 7:17PM
Jackie B said...
At this point I really don't care if Reggie Jackson got to use his card or not. However, I am saddened by the fact that Ralp White would try to stereotype black men by using the word (black man mentality).
I don't see where race even played a factor in this. Whether black or whote, Reggie was wrong. Let it go!!!!
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6-25-2007 @ 7:21PM
Tomeeka said...
I think if Reggie would have been a famour or formerly famous WHITE person, there wouldn't have been a problem with him getting the discount. To the idiot that posted that Reggie has the "persecuted black man mentality", I'm sure white folk have given him more than enough reasons to feel that way if that is the case!
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6-25-2007 @ 7:42PM
Ralph M. said...
Being a Yankee fan all of my life I have embraced many moments. Watching Roger and Mickey as a kid. The signing of Jim "Catfish" hunter and yes even the signing of Reggie pleased me much. I also remember the lean years when NY struggled thru the Bobby Murcer years. I shared with all New York fans when Reggie hit his 3rd homer against the Dodgers and I was there in person when Reggie set the alltime strike-out record against the Angels (sorry Reg) but to say Reggie was not a true Yankee leaves me shaking my head. Reggie was a true winner on the field and that sounds like a Yankee to me. How soon some forget. If Yankees get a discount give it to him cant deny he deserved it.
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6-25-2007 @ 7:57PM
jjp3rd said...
reggie gets at least $175 every time he signs his name. he's not hurting for cash. let him pay full rates...
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6-25-2007 @ 8:00PM
EFH409 said...
Iam tired of fans and the media talking about who is a true yankee and who isnt. I remenber when Reggie hit 3 consecutive home runs in a world series game he was a true yankee but know cause he was arguing about rates all of a sudden he is an ahole and not a true yankee what kind of non sense is that. He helped win championships so that makes him a true Yankee
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6-25-2007 @ 8:33PM
mike said...
skrew u Reggie. Go sell some more Reggie bars you dink.
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6-25-2007 @ 9:00PM
wildman said...
I've met Reggie many times and he's always been a top class guy. Those who berate him are either jealous, don't know him or never have met him and are just making their responses up. One other thng..how many people who were supposedly treated rudely by him were RUDE to him. One thing he told me was that the word "please" works wonders.
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6-25-2007 @ 9:03PM
TheMan said...
Tomeeka, is that a real African name? OH, thats surprising you have never been to Africa. Anytime a person says black in a sentence it seems like every black man just takes a big deep breath. Would you please just let it go black people. If you were educated at all you would have understood exactly what he was talking about. What he was talking about fits your comment to a tee. Thats the black man mentality.
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6-25-2007 @ 9:25PM
Larry said...
I have worked in the hotel industry in New York City for more than 19 years and a good friend of mine used to work at the Regency Hotel at the reception desk.
My friend told me that Reggie Jackson was always very nasty and disrepectful to anyone he encountered and the staff couldn't stand him.
It does not surprise me that the staff gave him a hard time because Reggie is an asshole with a capital "A" and cheap.
Other stars like Michael Clarke Duncan and Lionel Ritchie who are regulars at the Regency treat the staff like family and they receive outstanding service.
Another friend of mine who works at the Waldorf Astoria in New York said that Don King is so cheap that members of the bell staff will call sick when they find out he has a resevation to avoid dealing with him because Don is cheap,nasty and will make you work like a dog.
This is a bad combination for someone who works primarily on gratuities.
Having worked the reception desk at various hotels for more than 15 years it's very disappointing to meet someone who is famous and a prick.
That's when the staff will stick to hotel policy and not make any exceptions for a jerk.
As an African American and a Philadelphian like Reggie I don't think his color has anything to do with his behavior.
Personality types are universal and in my opinion do not have anything to do with a person's color.
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