TELL-TAILOR: No one bid on a Reggie Jackson jersey (bottom left) that he touted as the one he wore during his three-homer game in the 1977 Series. It likely wasn’t, as the striping configuration differs from the one Reggie was wearing at that game (bottom right). (
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Reggie Jackson gave the shirt off his back — but it was the wrong one.
An auction house yanked a jersey that the legendary Mr. October claimed to have worn during his historic three-home run game during the 1977 World Series after an eagle-eyed expert discovered it was the wrong shirt.
The retired Yankee great claimed he kept the jersey for 35 years believing it was the one he sported on the field during Game 6. But a video showed the “pinstripe alignment” was off, California-based SCP Auctions said.
“Video footage of the game shows some subtle inconsistencies between this jersey and the one he wore on the field,” said the auction house, which expected to fetch $100,000 for the game-worn jersey this week.
Jackson claimed to be shocked about the mishap. “For 35 years, that jersey has been in a frame. It doesn’t make sense,” he said.
He added he still questions about whether it really is the game jersey.
Jackson says he lost most of his sports gear from the era in a house fire and is sad to see the jersey’s authenticity challenged.
“It broke my heart,” he said.
Proceeds from the sale were to go to Jackson’s family and his charity, the Mr. October Foundation for Kids.
The sports hero may have worn the jersey in the clubhouse after the game, but it was not the one worn on the field, memorabilia experts said.
Peter Nash, who runs the blog Hauls of Shame, said he and a partner discovered the jersey wasn’t authentic and tipped off the auction house.