RIP - Grant Jackson

Grant Jackson, who pitched for the Phillies, Orioles, Pirates, and others from 1965-1982, passed away on February 2, 2021 at age 78 from COVID-19. 

 

 

Jackson's first full season was in 1967, the same year I started following the Phillies and major league baseball. He was mostly a reliever, but got the occasional start whenever there were doubleheaders. 

 

When Chris Short was lost for the 1969 season following a back injury in mid-April, Jackson became a full-time starter, leading the team with 253 innings pitched and 180 strikeouts. His 14 wins and 3.34 ERA were both just a bit behind team leader Rick Wise. Jackson also made his only All-Star team that season. 

 

He was also a starter in 1970, but after his off-season trade to the Orioles, he was mostly a reliever for the rest of his career. 

 

Jackson saw post-season action with the Orioles ('71, '73, '74), the Yankees ('76), and the Pirates ('79), and was the Game 7 winner in the 1979 World Series.  

 

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette obituary  

 

ESPN obituary

 

Phillies 1967 Yearbook

A few months ago, I found the box containing all my Phillies' yearbooks from 1967 to 1980-something. I bought this yearbook on my first trip to a Phillies game, back in May 1967.

Fifty-six pages of Phillies' facts and photos for only ONE DOLLAR! Most major-league players got a full page to themselves, while some of the younger or marginal players shared a page with another player. (No one had more than a single page.)

I'm not going to scan and post every page (at least not all at once!), but I have already posted Jim Bunning's page here, and here are a few more:

If the yearbook was a dollar, I'm guessing that hot dog was a quarter!

Here's "Rich" (not Richie) Allen.

Johnny Callison was a fan favorite, and lived year-round in the Philadelphia suburbs.

In his lower-right photo, Bob Uecker seems to be thinking "There must be a better way to make a living!"

This page is interesting in that it is evidence that veteran Braves' and Reds' starter Joey Jay was given a spring training invite to Phillies' camp in 1967. He didn't make the team, but spent the year pitching for their single-A team before retiring.

After the player pages and center-spread color team photo, there's a section for minor-league managers, prospects, scouts, etc. Here are the Phillies pitching prospects that season. Both Steve Arlin and Mike Wegener were lost in the expansion draft after the 1968 season.

And the position-player prospects. Sutherland, Harmon, Hisle, and Doyle all had long careers in the majors. (Hmm... surprising that Larry Bowa is not here.)  Dick Allen's brother Ron had a cup of coffee with the Mets a few years later.

Inside the back cover is a shot of the infamous "spite wall" in the outfield. Connie Mack put that up years earlier to prevent the residents across the street from viewing the games for free.
.