Pin Highlight: Reggie Jackson – “I Must Kill… The Queen.”

Now this is an eye catcher.  Its a pin featuring baseball legend Reggie Jackson holding a handgun.  What on earth is going on here?

In 1988 a little comedy called The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! came out.  It stars comedy legend Leslie Nielsen, and became an instant hit.  Two sequels came to follow.

I don’t want to go into too much detail about the film for those who haven’t seen it yet.  But I will say this.  Leslie Nielsen plays Police Squad Lieutenant Frank Drebin.  Police Squad is put in charge of protecting Queen Elizabeth II while she visits Los Angeles.  During her visit, she attends a Seattle Mariners and California Angels game.  They learn an assassination attempt will take place during the seventh inning stretch, and one of the players will carry it out.  Using a beeper and hypnosis, the real assassin uses Reggie Jackson as an agent to fulfill his mission.  Things don’t go well for Mr. October though.  A large woman from the upper deck ends up falling on him before he gets his shot off.  Its a funny scene that you can watch here.  Lots of other sports stars are in this movie too – O.J. Simpson, Jay Johnstone, Jim Palmer, Dick Vitale, and Jesse Ventura.

Patti Lapel makes some really fun pins based on people, places, and things from pop culture.  One pin in particular is of Reggie Jackson under hypnosis, gun in hand, and preparing to take out the Queen.  Memorable scenes from movies is a big chunk of their pin business.

You don’t mess with Mr. October.