| Travis Jackson | |
|---|---|
 Jackson in 1923 | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born:(1903-11-02)November 2, 1903 Waldo, Arkansas, U.S. | |
| Died: July 27, 1987(1987-07-27) (aged 83) Waldo, Arkansas, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 22, 1922, for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 1936, for the New York Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .291 |
| Home runs | 135 |
| Runs batted in | 929 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1982 |
| Election method | Veterans Committee |
Travis Calvin Jackson (November 2, 1903 – July 27, 1987) was an Americanbaseballshortstop. InMajor League Baseball (MLB), Jackson played for theNew York Giants from 1922 through 1936, winning the1933 World Series, and representing the Giants in theMLB All-Star Game in 1934. After his retirement as a player, Jacksonmanaged inminor league baseball through to the1960 season.
Jackson was discovered byKid Elberfeld at aminor league baseball game at the age of 14. Elberfeld signed Jackson to his first professional contract, and recommended him toJohn McGraw,manager of the Giants. His exceptional range at shortstop led to the nickname "Stonewall."[1] Jackson was inducted into theNational Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Jackson was born inWaldo, Arkansas, on November 2, 1903. He was the only child of William Jackson, a wholesale grocer, and his wife Etta, who named their son afterWilliam B. Travis, alieutenant colonel who died at theBattle of the Alamo.[2] Jackson's father bought him a baseball when he was three years old, and they often played catch together.[3]
Jackson's uncle took him to aLittle Rock Travelers minor-league game when he was 14 years old. At the game, Jackson's uncle introduced him toKid Elberfeld, telling Elberfeld that his nephew was a talented baseball player.[2] Elberfeld observed Jackson in an impromptu workout, and asked Jackson to contact him when he was ready to begin his professional career.[2][3]
Jackson attendedOuachita Baptist University inArkadelphia, Arkansas, where he starred on thecollege baseball team.[4] While there, he injured his knee, and this injury would recur during Jackson's career.[4]
Following Jackson's collegiate career, Elberfeld signed Jackson to his first contract, and he played for Little Rock in 1921 and 1922.[2] Jackson committed 72errors during the 1922 season, which he considered the "world record for errors".[4]
"I guess I set a world record for errors. I had a pretty good arm, see, but I didn't have much control. A lot of those were double errors — two on the same play, a boot and then a wild throw. The people in the first-base and right-field bleachers knew me. When the ball was hit to me they scattered. 'Watch out! He's got it again.'"
Despite this, Elberfeld recommended Jackson toJohn McGraw, manager of theNew York Giants of theNational League (NL), who was entitled to a Travelers player as he had lent a player to the team in 1922.[4] McGraw signed Jackson to a contract on June 30, effective at the end of the Southern Association's 1922 season.[5]
Jackson debuted with the Giants on September 22, 1922, appearing in three games. WithDave Bancroft andHeinie Groh, the Giants' starting shortstop andthird baseman respectively, sidelined with injuries incurred during the 1923 season, Jackson drew notice as a fill-in.[6] McGraw was confident enough in Jackson's abilities to trade Bancroft before the 1924 season, choosing Jackson to be the Giants' starting shortstop.[7][8] Though there was doubt that Jackson could adequately replace Bancroft,[9][10] Jackson played in 151 games during the 1924 season[11] andhit .302 with 11home runs. The Giants lost the1924 World Series to theWashington Senators, with Jackson committing a key error inGame 7.[12]
Jackson was considered one of the best shortstops of his era,[13] and he led NL shortstops with a .970fielding percentage in 1931.[4] However, he missed considerable playing time in his career resulting from injuries and illnesses. Jackson reinjured his knee in 1925,[4] missed significant time during the 1926 season[14] and had surgery forappendicitis during the 1927 season.[15] He missed time withmumps in 1930[16] andinfluenza in 1932,[17] and he continued to battle knee problems, missing much of the 1932 and 1933 seasons.[18] Jackson was said to "at 28, already [have] one foot in the minors".[19] Despite this, managerBill Terry said that Jackson would "make or break" the 1933 season.[18] Though Jackson fell behindBlondy Ryan on the team'sdepth chart during the season,[20] he returned in the1933 World Series, which the Giants won over the Senators.[21]
Terry stayed with Jackson as the Giants' starting shortstop for the 1934 season,[1] in which he drove in 101 runs and was chosen to appear in the1934 MLB All-Star Game.[22] Jackson playedthird base in his final two seasons,[23] serving asteam captain,[21] although he struggled in the1936 World Series,[24] which the Giants lost to theNew York Yankees.[25] After the season, the Giants requestedwaivers on Jackson to assign him to the minor leagues.[26]
Jackson batted over .300 six times, including a career-high .339 in the 1930 season,[4] and hit 21 home runs in 1929. He was on four NL pennant-winning teams and aWorld Series champion (1933). Jackson finished his MLB career with 135 home runs, 929 RBI and a .291 batting average.[4]
Jackson signed a three-year contract with theJersey City Giants of the Class-AAInternational League after the 1936 season. The team, which the Giants had purchased to become theirfarm team that offseason, was moved fromAlbany, New York, with Jackson to serve asplayer-manager.[27][28] Jackson's knees prevented him from appearing in many games with Jersey City as a player,[2] but he remained as the team's manager until July 1938, when he was replaced withHank DeBerry. The Giants brought Jackson back to the majors as acoach for the remaining 18 months on his contract, succeedingTommy Clarke, who became ascout.[29][30][31]
Jackson missed the next five seasons as he battledtuberculosis,[4] eventually returning to manage in theBoston / Milwaukee Braves system for theJackson Senators in the Class-BSoutheastern League in 1946.[32] Jackson returned to the Giants to coach in 1947 and 1948,[30][33] receiving his unconditional release following the 1948 season.[34]
Returning to the Braves' minor league system, Jackson managed theTampa Smokers of the Class-BFlorida International League in 1949, but resigned in July during a losing streak.[35] He managed theOwensboro Oilers of the Class-DKentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League in 1950, and began the 1951 season managing theBluefield Blue-Grays of the Class-DAppalachian League, but was reassigned to theHartford Chiefs of the Class-AEastern League when Hartford managerTommy Holmes was named theBraves' manager.[36] Jackson managed theAppleton Papermakers of the Class-DWisconsin State League in 1952 and 1953, theLawton Braves of the Class-DSooner State League from 1954 through 1957, theMidland Braves of the Class-DSophomore League in 1958,[32] theEau Claire Braves of the Class-CNorthern League in 1959[37] and theDavenport Braves of the Class-DMidwest League in 1960.[32]
Jackson and his wife, Mary, had two children, Dorothy Fincher and William Travis Jackson, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.[4] Jackson died ofAlzheimer's disease in 1987.[4]
As defensive standouts have historically been overshadowed bypower hitters inBaseball Hall of Fame voting, Jackson was not elected through the annual balloting process despite his record and achievements. But in 1982, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame by theVeterans Committee.[4][38] He was also inducted in the Arkansas Hall of Fame.[39]
