From Fostoria to Game 7 of the World Series, Jackson left his mark

Chuck Tanner had to be concerned. It was the bottom of the fifth inning of the seventh game of the 1979 World Series. Tanner, the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, watched as his pitcher, Don Robinson, walked the Baltimore Orioles' pitcher, Scott McGregor. A few days earlier, the Pirates chances for their first world title in eight years appeared on life support. A veteran team with future Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven and Willie Stargell on the roster, the Pirates split the first two game of the Series in Baltimore, but then dropped the next two games. But the Pirates fought back, winning Games 5 and 6. Now, as the Orioles put two runners on with two out in the fifth, the Pirates were flirting with disaster. They trailed the Orioles 1-0. The next hitter was Al Bumbry, a .285 batter with speed. But he also batted from the left side. So, Tanner made a slow walk from the Pittsburgh dugout and signaled for a southpaw reliever to replace Robinson. Grant Jackson. 'He was good at whatever he did' Grant Jackson was a star athlete at Fostoria High School, so much so that the baseball team's field is named for him. The irony is that Jackson didn't play high school baseball. He couldn't -- Fostoria High didn't have a baseball program then -- but he still left an impression on the school and the community. Jackson was a star basketball and football player for the Redmen, as well as a star on the town's American Legion Baseball team. He also was a standout in track. Later, he went to Bowling Green State University before signing a professional contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was signed by scout Tony Lucadello, who, like Jackson, was a Fostoria resident. Jackson went on to pitch for six major league teams, and appeared in three World Series. Overall, he was in the big leagues for 18 seasons and had an overall record of 86-75 with a 3.46 earned run average and 79 saves. Jackson died Feb. 2 at 78-years-old. In talking about Jackson, Pat Sterling, a friend and high school teammate, spoke of Jackson's remarkable athleticism. "He was good at whatever he did. In my opinion, he could have been a (Division) I football player, basketball player, and obviously, he chose baseball," Sterling said. "And… the rest of that story speaks for itself." Harry Burd, a Bettsville High graduate who was later a teammate of Jackson's in the Phillies minor league system, said he met Jackson at the behest of Lucadello. Lucadello also signed Burd for the Phillies. (Lucadello) wanted me to go over with him to watch Grant throw," Burd said. "That was the first time I met Grant; he was a big kid… real affable, smiled all the time. We were in a park over there at one of the places they later named Lucadello Field." Obviously, Jackson made an impression on everyone because of his athletic ability. But he also was remembered for his kindness and for his unselfishness. "Grant was the kind of the guy who had a great smile and he was always in a good mood," Sterling said. "He was very competitive, but as good as he was – and he was generally the best guy on the field, on our side at least – he never let that go to his head. He was a team player and he was always focused on everyone around him." 'He didn't brag about anything' If Jackson was nervous, it sure didn't look like it. Sitting on a golf cart with his feet up, he looked more like someone about to enjoy 18 holes than a big league pitcher about to enter Game 7 of the World Series. In the late '70s, relievers often entered games in golf carts or from cars. Jackson appeared to be having a pleasant conversation with his vehicle's driver as he was escorted to the mound. "You see Jackson coming in," announcer Howard Cosell told the viewers. When the game returned from commercial break, Jackson's season stats flashed on the screen as he warmed up. The game's play-by-play man, Keith Jackson, reminded his audience that Grant had pitched for the Orioles against the Pirates in the 1971 Fall Classic. The veteran play-by-play man also described the Fostoria native as the Orioles best left-handed reliever from 1971-75. "Now," Keith said, adding just a little bit of drama to his delivery, "he's wearing the other colors." Jackson appeared in one game in the '71 set, throwing two-thirds of an inning. He also pitched in one World Series Game in 1976, as a member of the Yankees. He'd thrown 3 2/3 innings, and allowed two earned runs against the Reds. His teams lost the Series each time. But in 1979, Jackson was a prominent figure in the Fall Classic. He was about to make his fourth appearance. He had yet to allow a run in two innings of work. Tanner and the Pirates were counting on him to come up big one more time. Bumbry worked the count to 2-2 as ABC cameras focused on Jackson staring in for signs. On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Bumbry lunged at a pitch and popped it foul, wide of third base. Memorial Stadium, like most stadiums designed to house baseball and football at the time, seemingly had endless amounts of foul territory. It was no problem for Pirates third baseman Bill Madlock to make the catch. The inning was over. Jackson did his job. But he wasn't done. Jackson was born in 1942, and grew up in Fostoria, the fourth of nine children. Sterling said it was a good time and place to grow up, and sports were a big part of things for Jackson, and those around him. "We all ran in the same crowds. Everybody played three sports a year," he said. "I shouldn't say everybody, but my friends did. Grant, obviously, played baseball, basketball and football like his brother Carlos before him. (Carlos) was a wonderful athlete." So was Grant, who was a running back on the high school team while Sterling played guard. Sterling recalled that Jackson was part of Fostoria teams that included Bill Greene, Brooke Brown and Bill Piper. "Good guys. Most of them were seniors; I was a sophomore but I worked my way in there," Sterling said. "Of course, it was fun to block for Grant. He made us look pretty good." And not just in football. "Nobody could get any higher on the rim than he could," Sterling said of Jackson's basketball prowess. Jackson had been excelling in youth baseball for years. In a 1979 Review Times article by then-sports editor Pat Magers, it said that in 1960, Jackson once struck out 18 Medina hitters in an American Legion District Game. In another contest later that day, he struck out 15 in relief. Though he didn't play high school baseball, Jackson was active in Little League, Pony League and American Legion ball, which was run by Fostoria native Andy Veras. "It was really almost like minor league baseball," Sterling said. "I mean, they were good teams. They traveled, and Grant excelled at that level." Burd said he was fortunate as a young pitcher to compete in American Legion ball. "Grant had the same opportunity," he said. "We had some great American Legion clubs here, and little league and pony league." It was from there – after a brief stint at BGSU – that Jackson signed with Lucadello and the Phillies. "He was in Spring Training with me," Burd said. "That's when we got close. We talked more then." Jackson reached the big leagues with Philadelphia in 1965 when he was 22. He pitched in parts of six seasons for the Phillies, and was selected to the All-Star Game in 1969. "I just saw he was a class act," Burd said. "He was a gentle guy, he didn't brag about anything." 'Made that look easy' By the time Jackson returned to the mound, his team had the lead. A two-run homer from Stargell in the top of the sixth put the Pirates up 2-1. Jackson retired the Orioles Kiko Garcia on a pop up to second. Blyleven was up in the bullpen for the Pirates, but Tanner stayed with the Fostoria native. The Orioles' Ken Singleton launched one of Jackson's pitches to deep center. It was enough to excite the Maryland faithful, but Pittsburgh's Omar Moreno brought it in two steps from the wall. That brought up another future Hall of Famer, Eddie Murray, who chased Jackson's first pitch and lifted a harmless fly to the right of first. Stargell grabbed it. Jackson didn't have much time to enjoy the quick inning. He had to bat. In 1979, the American League had the designated hitter, but the World Series alternated between American and National League rules. Even numbered years, there was a DH for the entire series. In odd numbered years, there was not. Starting in 1986, the DH was used every year in AL ballparks. Jackson was due up second in the top of the seventh. This was usually a spot for a pinch hitter, but Tanner wasn't about to risk removing one of his best relievers, especially one who had retired four straight. Jackson made 540 plate appearances up to that point in his career, collecting 32 hits, two homers and 17 RBIs. As he stood in, he looked confident. And in fact, he smacked McGregor's first pitch hard to Garcia at short. Garcia – perhaps startled – didn't field the ball cleanly and barely threw Jackson out (the play was so close, Tanner actually came out to argue with umpire Bob Engel, but replays showed the call was correct). The Pirates didn't score in the inning, and Jackson returned to the mound for the bottom of the seventh. Pinch hitter Gary Roenicke led off for Baltimore. Roenicke hit 25 homers in 1979, but Jackson went after him, painting his second pitch right on the inside corner for a strike. "Oh, that was a beauty," Cosell said. Two pitches later, Roenicke was gone swinging. "Made that look easy," Cosell remarked. The next hitter, Doug DeCinces, went quietly on a lazy fly to center. The next batter was catcher Rick Dempsey. Four years later, Dempsey became a World Series MVP when the Orioles trounced the Phillies in five games. On this night, he was just another out for Jackson, skying a pitch to Bill Robinson in left. "And so," Keith Jackson told the nation, "Grant Jackson's impressive." When Sterling talked about Jackson, he kept returning to the type of person he was. After his playing career was over, Jackson served as a coach for the Pirates and Reds as well as some minor league teams. Once, when Jackson's minor league team played the Toledo Mud Hens, Sterling, Bobby Frias (another former teammate of Grant's) and a group of Fostoria residents drove up to see their old friend. "Before the game started he walked over to our section in the stands over there, and probably spent a good 20 minutes, talking about the old days," Sterling said. "He was the same guy he was before his baseball career. "I can't say enough good things about him," Sterling said. "I'm sure his family was extremely proud of him. I know he never forgot his friends." 'He's walking a tight rope' The Pirates were six outs from a championship, holding a tenuous one run lead. Grant Jackson was still on the mound. Baltimore's second baseman, Rich Dauer, led off. He quickly popped up to Pirates shortstop Tim Foli. "I'll tell you, this Jackson has come on and is doing some job," Cosell said. The next batter was a pinch hitter for McGregor – the power hitting veteran Lee May. "Grant Jackson has faced this guy before, many times," said Don Drysdale, once a Hall of Fame hurler for the Dodgers and the third man in ABC's broadcast booth. "He knows what he can do with a swing of the bat." Jackson walked him on four pitches. That flipped the order, and Jackson was facing Bumbry again. This time, Jackson missed the strike zone on three of the first four pitches. "Well, right now, Grant Jackson, he's walking a tight rope," Drysdale noted. Jackson battled with Bumbry, but eventually walked him after the centerfielder fouled off numerous pitches. Garcia was due up next, but Baltimore manager Earl Weaver pulled him for pinch hitter Benny Ayala. When the announcement was made Tanner went to get Jackson, replacing him with another Ohioan, right hander Kent Tekulve. "Jackson did a fine job when he was in there," Keith Jackson said. Tekulve, a Cincinnati native who played college ball at Marietta, got the final outs of the eighth. In the top of the ninth, Pittsburgh added two runs. It won the game 4-1, and the Series 4 games to 3. Jackson was the winning pitcher in Game 7. It was his third postseason win of his career, but his first in the World Series. He was 37-years old. It was also the only world championship of his career. A few days later, he told Magers he wanted to "keep pitching as long as my arm says I can." Jackson ended up pitching for three more seasons. After stints in Montreal and Kansas City, he returned to Pittsburgh, making his final big league appearance on Sept. 8, 1982. He retired an All-Star, and a world champion. "He truly loved baseball," Sterling said. "Grant was a baseball guy." And it all started in Fostoria.