Trampled by Conflicted Fans, Yankees Legend’s Iconic ‘NFL Play’ Comes Back to Life Courtesy of Shaquille O’Neal

Looming at 7 feet and a monster on the NBA court, Shaquille O’Neal could make anyone think he could flick you like a bug. That doesn’t stop Big Aristotle from often appreciating the moments another athlete shows off their strength. One such scene has gone down in the history of professional sports for multiple reasons. Shaq decided to remind his 31.7 million Instagram followers about this iconic moment.

He’s experienced and seen his fair share of fans and athletes go wild when a franchise wins a title. But not many fan celebrations have been as iconic as the New York Yankees winning the 1977 World Series.

Reggie Jackson’s infamous moment

It’s an incident that became as popular as the victory itself. Reggie Jackson, the MLB icon, is responsible for winning two World Series titles for the New York Yankees. But very few people talk about him being a multi-sport athlete. Since he was young, Jackson excelled in football, basketball, and track and field, along with baseball. He initially went to college on a football offer and ended up switching to baseball.

Mr. October led the Yankees to victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977 and fans immediately descended on the field in celebration. The right fielder, though, was determined to get to his teammates first before fans could mob in. And his latent football skills kicked in.

He broke into a run across the field, dodging most fans along the way. Except one. He tackled a random fan without much effort with the skill of a seasoned NFL pro. He even outran a couple of policemen while zooming off the field.

The entire episode sort of marred the victory with violence. Mounted policemen at the stadium couldn’t control the situation when over 56,000 fans stormed the field. At least one fan was trampled under a horse, many others tore out stadium seats. Several people were arrested for unruly behavior. Policemen and fans had to be treated for injuries. Fans even took to the street, chanting for Jackson.

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The video of that moment has been circulating the Internet time again while fans imagine a world where Reggie Jackson was an NFL pro. This time another sport’s legend is drawing attention to it.

Shaquille O’Neal relives Yankees ’77 victory

Recently, Shaquille O’Neal has been showing off his intimidating physique on social media. At 51, Big Diesel keeps up with a rigorous regimen like he’s still in the NBA. Muscle man, Ronnie Coleman, even showed appreciation for Shaq’s hard-earned body.

O’Neal, though, has not shied from appreciating other athletes across different sports. He shared the video of the 1977 World Series on his Instagram Stories for that reason. Instead of the violence that broke out, the video highlights Reggie Jackson’s athletic prowess. Even at the pinnacle of his MLB career, Jackson could threaten an NFL running back with those moves.

Both Shaq and fans were left in awe of the retired baseball star. What did you think of this historic moment in baseball?

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