10 Questions with Reggie Jackson

The baseball star on the value of ego, his disappointments and why the Mets turned him down

Javier Sirvent for TIME

You've already written an autobiography. Why write Becoming Mr. October ?
I was embarrassed by the Bronx Is Burning miniseries [on the 1977 World Series] by ESPN. I thought I'd take my turn to talk about what was important during that era.

You write that a lot of people have forgotten the struggles of black players from your era. Is that a healthy sign?
I think it's part of moving forward. I know my daughter doesn't know what I went through. She's a mixed child, 22 years old. Lives a great life. Love her to death. But she doesn't understand...

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