Jackie Collum – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Baseball fans might not instantly know Jackie Collum, but this left-handed pitcher carved out a nine-season career in Major League Baseball before he called it quits in 1962.

Collum stood just 5’7″ and weighed 160 pounds. He showed that size isn’t everything on the mound, using a nasty screwball to go toe-to-toe with bigger hitters.

John Dean “Jackie” Collum played for eight different MLB teams between 1951 and 1962, putting together a 32-28 record with a 4.15 ERA over 171 appearances. Born in Victor, Iowa, on June 21, 1927, Collum’s path to the majors included serving in World War II before he chased his baseball dreams.

He moved from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Cincinnati Reds, then to the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Cleveland Indians.

From his early days in Iowa to his last game with Cleveland on August 23, 1962, Collum’s journey mirrors the lives of many journeyman pitchers who kept baseball running in the 1950s and early ’60s.

He shined brightest with Cincinnati in 1955, grabbing nine wins and a 3.63 ERA. He also joined the Dodgers during their big move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, which is pretty unique.

Jackie Collum’s Baseball Career Overview

Jackie Collum pitched in the big leagues for nine seasons, from 1951 to 1962. He played for eight teams and built a reputation as a steady lefty.

If you count his minor league days, his career lasted 16 seasons. He retired at 35 in 1962.

MLB Debut and Early Years

Collum made his major league debut on September 21, 1951, with the St. Louis Cardinals at age 24.

Born in Victor, Iowa, Collum had to overcome his smaller size to reach the majors.

Early on, he bounced between teams. After starting with the Cardinals, Collum moved around as clubs looked for a reliable lefty.

He developed a wicked screwball that became his calling card. That pitch let him compete with bigger hitters throughout his career.

He spent a good chunk of time in the Cardinals’ farm system before he finally got his shot in the majors.

Final Season and Retirement in 1962

Collum’s last season came in 1962, closing out his nine-year major league run.

He retired at 35, having pitched for eight teams during his time in MLB.

His career numbers included 32 wins and 28 losses with a 4.15 ERA. Collum struck out 171 batters, proving he could handle both relief and spot starts.

His pro baseball journey covered 16 seasons, starting with his minor league debut in 1947. Collum finished up with one of the six major league teams he played for.

After baseball, Collum went back to Iowa and ran the Pioneer Oil Company in Grinnell. He stayed in his home state until he passed away in 2009 at age 82.

Role as a Left-Handed Pitcher

As a lefty, Collum filled an important spot on his teams. His screwball worked well against both lefties and righties.

At 5’7″ and 160 pounds, Collum leaned on his technique and breaking ball instead of pure speed. His smaller frame actually helped him throw that screwball with some extra deception.

Teams often called on Collum in relief, using his left-handed delivery as a tactical weapon. He could get big outs, making him valuable even though he didn’t fit the mold of a typical big-league pitcher.

Collum’s minor league stats were even better—he notched 128 wins and 95 losses, plus a 3.32 ERA in 405 games. He even hit .269 in the minors, showing he could do a bit of everything.

Teams Jackie Collum Played For

Jackie Collum pitched for eight teams during his 11-year Major League Baseball career, from 1951 to 1962.

He spent the most time with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Redlegs. He also made contributions to the Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers.

St. Louis Cardinals Years

Collum started out with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1951. He made his debut at 24, going 2-1 with a standout 1.59 ERA in just three games.

He impressed early, throwing 17 innings, allowing only 11 hits, and tossing a complete game shutout. His ERA+ of 255 that year was one of his best.

After just two games in 1952, Collum came back to the Cardinals in 1953 and 1956. In 1956, he mostly pitched in relief, appearing in 38 games with just one start.

That year, he picked up seven saves and went 6-2. The Cardinals leaned on his lefty arm for four seasons in total.

Cincinnati Redlegs Tenure

Collum really hit his stride with the Cincinnati Redlegs from 1953 to 1955. He joined Cincinnati mid-1953 after a trade from St. Louis.

His best year came in 1955—he went 9-8 with a 3.63 ERA. He started 17 games out of 32 and finished five of them.

That season, Collum showed his toughness, pitching 134 innings and striking out 49 batters. He proved he could hold down a spot in the Reds’ rotation.

During his Cincinnati years, Collum put up most of his career numbers. He delivered steady work as both a starter and reliever.

Chicago Cubs Stint

Collum’s time with the Chicago Cubs was short, coming in the 1957 season. He pitched in nine games, posting a 1-1 record with a 6.75 ERA.

The Cubs used him only out of the bullpen. He pitched 10.2 innings, picked up one save, and finished four games.

That year was tough for Collum—he split his time between Chicago and Brooklyn and had trouble with control, walking nine in limited innings for the Cubs.

Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers Seasons

Collum joined the Brooklyn Dodgers late in 1957, then stayed with them as the team moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

He didn’t pitch much for Brooklyn, just three games with an 8.31 ERA.

The move to L.A. didn’t go much better—he pitched only two games, giving up four hits and three earned runs in 3.1 innings.

That stint marked the end of his National League career. The Dodgers’ move to L.A. lined up with Collum’s struggles as he hit 31.

Even though he didn’t have much success with the Dodgers, he got to play alongside some future Hall of Famers.

Later MLB Experiences

Jackie Collum spent his final big league season in 1962 splitting time between two American League teams.

He had a short run with the Minnesota Twins before making his last appearances with the Cleveland Indians.

Minnesota Twins in 1962

The Minnesota Twins picked up Collum during the 1962 season, but his time there was quick.

He pitched in just eight games for the Twins.

His stay was so brief, the team never even fixed the misspelling of his name above his locker. That little detail says a lot about how temporary his role was.

At 35, Collum was nearing the end of the line. His 5’7″ frame had held up for years, but age was finally catching up.

The Twins became his seventh major league team. He still relied on his screwball, but it didn’t have quite the same bite as it did in his National League days.

Cleveland Indians and Final MLB Games

Jackie Collum wrapped up his major league career with the Cleveland Indians in 1962.

His last MLB appearance came that season, capping a nine-year journey through the majors.

The Indians gave Collum one last shot in the big leagues. He pitched in a single game for Cleveland, bringing his total MLB games to 171.

Collum ended his career with 32 wins and 28 losses. He played for eight franchises from 1951 to 1962, including the Cardinals, Reds, Cubs, Dodgers, Twins, and Indians.

After that final outing, Collum retired from pro baseball at 35. He’d spent 16 seasons in organized baseball, counting his minor league years from 1947 to 1962.

Pitching Performance and Statistics

Jackie Collum struck out 171 batters in his nine MLB seasons and finished with a 4.15 ERA.

His last year in 1962 showed the struggles of an aging pitcher, as he battled with control and consistency in limited action.

Career Strikeouts and Key Metrics

Collum’s career strikeout total—171—shows he wasn’t a power pitcher, but he was steady.

He finished with a 32-28 win-loss record over 405 career games, showing solid consistency.

In the minors, he posted a 3.25 ERA, hinting at his early promise. In the majors, his 4.15 ERA reflected the tough jump many pitchers face.

His 1962 numbers told the story of a career winding down. In nine games, he had a combined ERA of 10.13 over 16.2 innings.

Home vs. Road Performance in 1962:

• Home games: 3 appearances, 4.91 ERA, 3.2 innings
• Road games: 6 appearances, 13.15 ERA, 13 innings

Highlights at the Plate

Collum made his mark as a pitcher, not a hitter, like most pitchers of his time. Records show pitchers rarely did much with the bat back then.

His last game came on August 23, 1962, against Detroit.

He pitched 1.1 innings, gave up four hits and two earned runs, and got one strikeout.

The Cleveland Indians let him go not long after that. In 1962, he allowed 33 hits in just 16.2 innings, and that signaled the end.

Collum played before the designated hitter, so pitchers had to hit for themselves. Still, his main contributions always came from the mound.

Life Before and After Baseball

Jackie Collum’s story stretches well beyond baseball. He served in World War II and later built a business career after leaving the game.

His Iowa roots and drive for success shaped both his time in sports and his life after.

Early Life and World War II Service

John Dean Collum was born June 21, 1927, in Victor, Iowa. He grew up in a small farming town.

His baseball skills showed up early—he started playing second base for Newburg High School as a 10-year-old sixth grader back in 1938.

Newburg High had fewer than 50 students until it merged with Grinnell in 1958. Older teammates brought Jackie in, since his talent often meant they could field a team instead of forfeiting.

Before his pro baseball days, Collum served in the United States Army during World War II. He was stationed in the Philippines, where he kept working on his baseball game while serving.

That military experience in the Pacific came during a crucial time in the war. It shaped his discipline and toughness, qualities that helped him through his nine seasons in the majors.

Post-Retirement Endeavors

After he retired from baseball in 1962, Collum went back to his Iowa roots and dove into the business world. He got involved with Pioneer Oil, showing off the same grit and determination that had carried him through his baseball career, even though he stood just 5’7″.

Collum didn’t just drift after leaving the game—he made the transition from professional athletics to business work for him. He brought along the work ethic and perseverance that helped him push past being overlooked by scouts who thought he was too small.

He stayed close to his Iowa community throughout those post-baseball years. Collum lived quietly in Grinnell, the town where he’d attended high school after the merger with Newburg.

On August 29, 2009, Collum passed away at age 82 in Grinnell, Iowa. That day marked the end of a life that stretched from small-town Iowa ball fields to major league stadiums, and then back home again.

Legacy, Recognition, and Historical Records

Jackie Collum pitched for 11 seasons from 1951 to 1962, making a name for himself as a reliable lefty who played for eight different major league teams. Baseball’s archival systems still preserve his stats and records, so researchers and fans can dig into the details of what he brought to the game.

Jackie Collum’s Standing in Baseball History

Jackie Collum carved out a solid place in baseball history as a journeyman pitcher who managed to perform across a bunch of organizations. His 32-28 record with a 4.15 ERA over 171 major league games really shows how he contributed, even while bouncing between teams.

His career ran through the last years of baseball’s golden age and into the start of the modern era. Collum, at just 5’7″ and 160 pounds, showed everyone that size didn’t have to be a barrier to making it in professional baseball.

He made his devastating screwball his signature pitch, and that gave him an edge against bigger hitters. That pitch choice really highlights his baseball intelligence and adaptability, especially as a smaller player in a tough sport.

Collum stuck around in the majors, pitching for teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Cleveland Indians. He proved himself as a dependable pitcher who could step into all sorts of roles.

Archival Records and Baseball Databases

Modern baseball databases do a pretty solid job of tracking Collum’s career stats and performance details. Baseball-Reference.com, along with a few other sites, keeps a huge amount of info about his 171 major league appearances and what he pulled off over the years.

MLB’s official records actually show that he played for eight different teams between 1951 and 1962. These databases list all his stats, which teams he played for, and every transaction during his career.

If you dig into his minor league stats, you’ll find an even more impressive run. He racked up 125 wins and 93 losses with a 3.25 ERA over 405 games.

Organizations like StatsCrew.com hang onto these numbers, giving us a clearer picture of his overall baseball journey.

The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) also covers Collum’s career in detail. They include biographical notes and career analysis, which honestly helps keep the stories alive for players like Collum who really added something to baseball’s history.