These days, the dollars involved seem almost quaint -- $3.5 million over five years, or just $14.6 million in today's money -- but the Yankees' signing of eventual Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson on Nov. 29, 1976 was indeed a headline-grabber. 

Jackson, who had been an Athletics lifer before being traded to the Orioles following the 1975 season, went on to hit 144 home runs and put up an OPS+ of 148 on the Yankees' watch. During that span, the Yanks won four division titles, three pennants and two World Series.

Speaking of the World Series, here's what Reggie did in the deciding Game 6 of the 1977 Fall Classic against the Dodgers ... 

Of course, the curiosity in all of this is that the Yankees didn't even want Reggie at first. They had plenty of left-handed power on the roster, and they needed pitching, infield help and thump from the right side. George Steinbrenner wanted to chase lefty Don Gullett. GM Gabe Paul yearned for Bobby Grich. Manager Billy Martin wanted Joe Rudi. Don Baylor was also coveted. 

The Yankees wound up getting Gullett, but Grich, the hitting talent they truly wanted, eluded them, instead signing with the Angels. So in a sense, the Yankees were reduced to courting and then signing Jackson, even though it worked out splendidly for them. 

On Reggie's side of things, the Expos topped the Yankees' offer by a cool $1.5 million, but the lures of New York City won him over. Now let us imagine Reggie Jackson, Montreal Expo ...