x
Breaking News
More () »

Hospital Patients Get Pep Talk from ‘Mr. October’ Reggie Jackson

SCRANTON — Tuesday night’s AAA Championship Game makes history for PNC Field and the Yankees farm team. Earlier in the day, a piece of Yankees histo...

SCRANTON -- Tuesday night's AAA Championship Game makes history for PNC Field and the Yankees farm team. Earlier in the day, a piece of Yankees history visited downtown Scranton.

Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson stopped by to see some folks who need a pep talk.

There are meters, tubes, and a lot of waiting inside the cancer center at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton.

But there's also a lot of hope here and that got a Hall of Fame-worthy boost. Legendary baseball player Reggie Jackson strolled into the cancer center, surprising then inspiring the patients there.

Eugene Larnerd of Scranton has long been a fan of "Mr. October" and never thought he'd meet him here of all places.

"I've been a Yankee fan since the '70s," he said.

"It was very nice to be meeting somebody like that," said Cheryl Ward of Vandling.

Jackson says the feeling is mutual.

"I've been around it a lot and sort of try to bring a bit of joy for people," Jackson said. "I've had cancer in my family with a sister and brother. Small stuff, but cancer is a big word. It's frightening."

It's also about mental toughness. Cancer has met its match in Denise Prislupski. She's admittedly a converted Yankee fan but could still rattle off all of Reggie Jackson's stats.

"It was a nice treat to our day," Prislupski said. "We sit here getting medications that are way strong and can make you sick when you leave, so to have him come in was just, it made you forget where you were."

Before You Leave, Check This Out