Lou Jackson – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Lou Jackson’s baseball career wrapped up quietly in 1964, but honestly, his journey from the Louisiana bayous to the big leagues is a pretty fascinating slice of baseball history. This outfielder from Riverton, Louisiana, managed to play parts of three seasons with the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles between 1958 and 1964, though he only appeared in 34 major league games.

Jackson’s short time in the majors included one unforgettable home run and really highlights the challenges faced by talented players trying to break through when roster spots were so limited. Even though he didn’t stick around long in the majors, he found success in the minors and later played in Japan, where his career finally came to an end.

His story covers the usual struggles of a fringe big leaguer, starting at historically black colleges and moving through the Cubs’ farm system. Jackson’s path gives us a peek into the realities of pro baseball back in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, when opportunities and obstacles shaped so many players’ careers.

Early Life and Education

Lou Jackson was born July 26, 1935, in Riverton, Louisiana. He honed his athletic skills through high school and college baseball.

His educational path took him from Carroll High School to Grambling State University, where he sharpened the abilities that would define his pro career.

Family Background

Lou Jackson grew up in Riverton, a small Louisiana town that laid the groundwork for his baseball ambitions. Born as Louis Clarence Jackson, he came from a community where sports really mattered.

The Jackson family always backed Lou’s love for athletics. His parents saw his natural talent and pushed him to take baseball seriously.

That family support made a huge difference as he developed as a left-handed hitter.

Riverton’s tight-knit community played a big part in shaping Jackson’s character and work ethic. The town valued hard work and dedication, and Jackson carried those values onto the field.

Carroll High School Achievements

At Carroll High School, Jackson stood out as a top baseball player. His lefty swing and natural power made him a key part of the team.

Coaches noticed he could pull the ball with real authority.

Jackson’s high school performance grabbed the attention of college scouts. His steady hitting and outfield work made him an exciting recruit.

That blend of power and athleticism really set him apart.

During his years at Carroll, Jackson picked up the basics that would serve him well later on. Coaches helped him refine his technique and game sense.

Those early years were crucial for what came next.

Time at Grambling State University

Jackson went on to Grambling State University, where he kept developing his baseball skills. The school’s baseball program gave him tougher competition and better coaching.

That experience got him ready for the challenges of pro ball.

At Grambling, Jackson’s power hitting really started to show. Facing college pitching forced him to grow as a hitter, and his coaches kept pushing him to improve all around.

The college environment helped Jackson mature both on and off the field. He balanced classes with baseball, which wasn’t always easy.

This time set him up for his jump into pro baseball in 1958.

Path to Professional Baseball

Lou Jackson started his journey to pro ball at Carroll High School in Monroe. There, he earned team MVP honors and helped win four straight state championships.

Buck O’Neil, the legendary scout, spotted Jackson at Grambling College and helped get him signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1957.

Amateur Baseball Career

Jackson first made a name for himself playing for the West Monroe Warriors as a teenager. At Carroll High, he starred as a baseball MVP and even played football.

The Carroll Bulldogs dominated during Jackson’s time. He once said on a career questionnaire, “We were state champ[s] for four years.” Those titles came in Louisiana’s Negro High School league, back before integration.

After graduating in 1955, Jackson kept playing both baseball and football at Grambling College. He played under some legendary coaches.

Eddie Robinson, who’d later enter the College Football Hall of Fame, coached the football team.

The baseball program was led by Ralph Waldo Emerson “Prez” Jones, who doubled as school president and coach. Jones had pitched in Louisiana semipro leagues back in the day.

Jackson spent a year at Grambling, sharpening his skills before pro opportunities came knocking.

Signing with the Chicago Cubs

Buck O’Neil scouted Jackson at Grambling and made sure he got a pro contract. O’Neil was known for finding talent at historically black colleges.

Lou Jackson signed with the Chicago Cubs for the 1957 season. Willard Ellis, a former Grambling student and later Tigers coach, remembered, “Buck O’Neil scouted the black schools during that time.”

The Cubs showed real faith in Jackson’s abilities. He kicked off his pro career with the Magic Valley Cowboys in Idaho’s Class C Pioneer League.

Jackson’s first season went really well. In 112 games, the 5-foot-10, 168-pound outfielder led his team with 24 doubles and 17 steals.

He hit .310, the best average among regulars.

Cubs manager Bob Scheffing praised Jackson at rookie camp in Mesa, Arizona, in March 1958. “He looks great,” Scheffing said. Vice President John Holland even suggested Jackson “could be another Mickey Mantle.”

Major League Career Overview

Lou Jackson played just 34 games in the majors across three seasons, suiting up for two teams between 1958 and 1964. His time in the MLB was short, and he struggled at the plate, ending up with a .213 average and one home run.

Chicago Cubs Years

Jackson debuted on July 23, 1958, with the Chicago Cubs at age 22. He came in as a ninth-inning pinch-runner for Johnny Goryl at Crosley Field.

Jackson scored the tying run from second on Tony Taylor’s single, though the Cubs lost in extras.

His first at-bat came the very next night against Cincinnati’s Tom Acker as a pinch-hitter. He made the final out in a close loss.

Six nights later in Pittsburgh, he started in left field and led off with his first major league hit.

The highlight of Jackson’s rookie year came in Philadelphia, where he pinch-hit a two-run homer off Ray Semproch. He also hit a bases-loaded triple in San Francisco to blow open a tight game.

After a stint back in the minors, Jackson returned to the Cubs in September.

He played in 24 games as a rookie, batting .171 in 36 at-bats. He came back briefly in 1959, appearing in just six games as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner before the Cubs traded him to Cincinnati in December.

Baltimore Orioles Season

The Baltimore Orioles picked up Jackson in the Rule 5 Draft for $25,000 after his standout 1963 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Orioles farm director Harry Dalton called Jackson “a real hustler, a 100-percent ballplayer and a real good hitter.”

Baltimore needed a left-handed hitting outfielder, and even after getting Willie Kirkland from Cleveland, team president Lee MacPhail thought Jackson still had a shot at making the team.

But Jackson’s time with Baltimore was short and pretty uneventful. He played in just four games in 1964, going 0-for-1 at the plate.

His last major league appearance was May 11, 1964, against Washington, where he had one at-bat and no hits.

That 1964 season ended Jackson’s major league days. He finished with a .213 average, 10 hits, one home run, and seven RBIs in 34 games between the Cubs and Orioles.

Career Statistics and Performance

Lou Jackson’s major league career lasted parts of three seasons from 1958 to 1964. Across 34 games with the Cubs and Orioles, he put up modest numbers.

His brief MLB run ended with a .213 batting average and limited offensive production, though he looked a lot better in the minors.

MLB Batting and Fielding Stats

Jackson’s stats show a player who just couldn’t quite settle in at the top level. Over his 34-game MLB career, he had 47 at-bats and managed only 10 hits for a .213 batting average.

His offensive line was pretty thin:

• 1 home run (career total)
• 7 RBIs
• 2 doubles
• 1 triple

That one home run happened as a pinch-hitter against Philadelphia’s Ray Semproch in 1958. He hit his triple in September 1958 in San Francisco with the bases loaded, helping the Cubs break open the game.

He played 24 games in his 1958 rookie season with Chicago, hitting .171 in 35 at-bats. His 1959 stint was short—just 6 games as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner.

After the Cubs traded him to Cincinnati, Jackson didn’t return to the majors until 1964 with Baltimore, where he played in 4 games and had 1 at-bat.

Analysis of Key Metrics

Jackson’s .213 career average was well below league standards for his era. In the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, most MLB hitters were around .250-.260, so Jackson was about 40-50 points off the pace.

His power numbers were also pretty limited. With only 1 home run in 47 at-bats, his home run rate was low for an outfielder. His 7 RBIs over three seasons showed his minimal offensive impact.

The difference between Jackson’s MLB and minor league numbers was striking. In 1963 with Toronto, he hit .315 with 31 home runs, showing the kind of talent that first caught scouts’ attention.

Back in 1958 with Pueblo, he hit .320 with 22 homers before his first call-up.

Jackson’s speed was always one of his best tools, though we don’t have many stolen base stats from his short MLB stint. Still, the fact that teams used him as a pinch-runner says a lot.

Minor League and International Play

Lou Jackson’s best baseball came in the minors and when he played abroad. He won the Eastern League batting title in 1959 and had his top season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1963, smacking 31 home runs while facing future stars like Dick Allen.

International League Performance

Jackson spent a lot of time in the International League, suiting up for teams like the Jersey City Jerseys and Toronto Maple Leafs. His performance varied—sometimes he showed real promise, other times not so much.

In 1960, Jackson started off with the Havana Sugar Kings. The team then relocated and became the Jersey City Jerseys because of Cuba’s political upheaval.

He led the International League with 12 triples that year. But then he ran into a wall, injured his shoulder, and that really slowed him down.

Jackson’s stint with Jersey City was tough. He ended the 1960 season hitting .280 with 12 doubles and 10 homers in 118 games.

That shoulder injury kept nagging him and limited his mobility.

Standout Seasons with Toronto Maple Leafs

Jackson’s best years came with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1961 to 1963. He started slow but eventually became the team’s MVP in his final season.

In 1961, Jackson crashed into the concrete right-field wall at Maple Leaf Stadium chasing a foul fly on May 21. He knocked himself out and needed five stitches in his chin.

Even so, he played 143 games and hit .268 with nine home runs.

The 1963 season was his real breakout. After a rough start and nearly getting traded to Richmond, he caught fire over the last 55 games.

He batted .375 with 21 home runs and 52 RBIs during that stretch.

1963 Season Statistics:

• Batting Average: .315
• Home Runs: 31
• Games Played: Full season
• Awards: Team MVP and Most Popular Player

Jackson’s 31 home runs in 1963 ranked him second in the International League, just behind 21-year-old Dick Allen.

Toronto GM Frank Pollock said Jackson was “the one most responsible for us making the playoffs.”

Playing in Japan with Sankei Atoms

After his short 1964 run with Baltimore, Jackson took his talents to Japan’s Central League and joined the Sankei Atoms. He got a chance to show off his power hitting in front of Japanese fans.

Jackson landed in the top five for home runs in the Japan Central League twice while with the Atoms. That “extraordinary pull ability” he had as a left-handed hitter really seemed to fit the smaller Japanese ballparks.

He played in Japan from 1965 to 1968, giving himself a steady paycheck after things didn’t work out in the MLB. The move overseas let Jackson keep playing pro ball for a few more years.

Sadly, Jackson died in Tokyo on May 27, 1969, at just 33. He’d been living in Japan, where he’d built a reputation as a respected foreign player in the Central League.

Personal Life, Legacy, and Passing

Lou Jackson’s personal life wasn’t exactly easy. He faced family struggles and went through two marriages, and his early death at 33 in Tokyo ended both his life and any chance for a bigger mark on baseball.

He’s buried at Monroe City Cemetery in Louisiana. Most folks remember him as a talented minor league guy who sometimes flashed major league potential.

Family and Personal Challenges

Jackson married Joan Getret before he even finished high school in 1955. Their first daughter, Gwendolyn, arrived while he was still a student.

They had three more kids together: daughters Donna and Carmen, and son Chris, who was born during the 1958 offseason.

Money got tight as Jackson tried to make it in pro baseball. He picked up work at Clover Leaf Dairy when he wasn’t on the field to help support his growing family.

That baseball career was unpredictable, and all the travel started to strain his marriage.

In the early 1960s, Jackson divorced Joan and moved to Florida. He worked winters in the kitchen at the Tampa Yacht and Country Club.

There he met Sylvia Morgan, whose mom worked as a waitress at the club. Jackson eventually married Sylvia.

Memorial and Cemetery Details

Jackson died in Tokyo, Japan, on May 27, 1969, when he was only 33. He was still playing pro baseball in Japan when he got sick. One source says he died from a pancreatic infection.

His family brought his body back to the United States for burial. Jackson was laid to rest at Monroe City Cemetery in Monroe, Louisiana.

That cemetery feels right, since Monroe was where he grew up and played high school ball.

Even though he died thousands of miles from home, his final resting place connects him to his Louisiana roots.

Legacy in Baseball History

Jackson’s baseball legacy mostly comes from his impressive minor league run, not from his short time in the majors.

He played just 34 games over three seasons with the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles, between 1958 and 1964.

On August 3, 1958, he had his most memorable major league moment—he smacked his only career home run as a pinch hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.

People called Jackson a “wrist hitter with extraordinary pull ability,” and honestly, he flashed some serious power.

In 1963, Jackson had a standout year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, batting .315 with 31 home runs and earning the team’s MVP award.

He also made his mark in Japan’s Central League, landing among the top five home run hitters twice while he played there.