GREENVILLE'S MAJOR LEAGUE LEGEND
The late 1800's was a period of time in South Carolina, for many people, that meant working in the textiles mills was a multi-generational family tradition. On July 16, 1888, Joseph Jefferson Jackson was into a Brandon Mill community family. The Brandon Mill community is a textile mill village in the western section of Greenville,SC.
At an age, when most children of today (the age of 6) would be starting elementary school, young Joe began working in the Brandon Mill sweeping cotton lint off the wooden floors. The scorching hot southern sun baked the high brick walls of the mill, which made the inside of the building feel just like a boiler room. The air inside of mill was saturated with cotton dust and the deafening noise of the looms droned on and on for endless hours. The work in textile mills was tedious, unhealthy and extremely dangerous.
One of the few escapes, that children living this unimaginable tough life, was the game of baseball, the game of America. Joe enjoyed playing baseball and at an early age displayed signs of greatness at bat and in the field. He was playing with the Brandon Mill men's team, by the age of 13. Greenville's Textile League was the starting point, for one of basball's top natural hitters.
The turn of the century had now arrived. In 1908, while playing semi-pro baseball with the Greenville Spinners, Joe earned his nickname, "Shoeless Joe" at early stage of his career. The first game of a doubleheader with the Spinners, was a very physically painful game for Joe.
The new spikes that he wore caused painful blisters on his feet. During the second game, with the Spinners at bat in the seventh inning, he took of his spikes and walked to the batter's box. The fact that Joe was 'shoeless' went undetected until he cracked a hit and began running the bases in stocking feet. A fan of the opposing team noticed that Joe was 'shoeless' and began to shout, "You shoeless son-of-a-gun!" The remark caught the attention of a local sportswriter, who from that day on, tagged Joe with the nickname "Shoeless Joe."
"Shoeless Joe" Jackson's quick instincts and precise skill on the basball field, gained the attention of professional baseball. In 1908, Connie Mack signed him to play with the Philadelphia Athletics. In 1910, Joe was traded to the Cleveland Naps and in 1915, he was sold to Charles Comiskey's Chicago White Sox. At the height of his professional baseball career, scandal tarnished Joe's solid reputation. He and seven of his Chicago Whit Sox teammates were indicted for allegedly conspiring to accept bribes and were accused of "throwing" the 1919 World Series against Cincinnati. During the 1919 World Series, Joe had 12 hits, the highest batting average(.375), no errors and hit the ONLY home run in the series! Although a jury found Joe and the seven other players innocent of the charges, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, baseball's first commissioner, banned all of them from professional baseball.
For the remainder of Jackson's life, he vehemently, maintained his innocence. A national effort to persuade the Baseball Commissioner to reinstate Joe to Major League Baseball has been ignored. A Joint Resolution by the United States Congress and over 100,000 petition signatures, has also been ignored. Jackson can not be eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, until, he is reinstated to Major League Baseball. The spikes that he wore and other items from his major league career are on display in Cooperstown,NY, without his good name.
Jackson died on December 5, 1951. He continues to be the of the most beloved and publicized baseball players in the history of the game.
You can visit: the Shoeless Joe Jackson Plaza Statue and Fountain, The Jackson Grave and the Shoeless Joe Jackson Memorial Park.
PLACES TO VISIT:
SHOELESS JOE JACKSON PLAZA STATUE AND FOUNTAIN
On July13,2002, a life-size bronze statue of Joe Jackson was unveiled and dedicated at the SHOELESS JOE JACKSON PLAZA. The plaza is located in Greenville's historic West End of the City of Greenville. The bricks that were used to construct the base of the statue, were bricks removed from the old Comiskey Ball Park where Joe played for the Chicago White Sox. Original "flecks" of paint can still be seen clinging to the historic brick.
Jackson's statue was sculpted by Greenville artist, Douglas R. Young. Young created the clay model in the lobby of Greenville City Hall in 2001. People visiting the lobby of City Hall were allowed to participate in the sculpting process by keading pieces of clay, which Young then incorprated in the design of the statue. A native of Connersville, Indiana, Young attended Bob Jones University where he studied under well-known local artists Emory Bopp, Darrell Koons and Carl Blair. Young also studied sculpting under Adrianus Vanderstock, an internationally-known sculptor and restoration artist, while teaching at Randolph Community College in Asheboro, NC. The sculpture of Shoeless Joe Jackson is viewed by Young as the fulfillment of a lifetime dream.
DIRECTIONS: From Downtown Greenville, take North Main Street south to the intersection of South Main St.,Pendleton and Augusta streets in Greenville's historic West End.
JACKSON GRAVE
The grave of Joe jackson and his wife, Kate Wynn Jackson, are located at the Woodlawn Memorial Park. Countless visitors have been the grave site and many have left momentos. One example of this is, a worn baseball that was inscribed : " Mr. Jackson, please watch over me as I play your game to the best of my ability. I'm going to play for all the years you couldn't. I know you were innocent. Somehow I know you are the greatest ever. (signed) matt McRee #9."
DIRECTIONS: the Woodlawn Memorial Park main entrance is located on Wade Hampton Blvd.(Hwy 29, across from Red Lobster Resaurant). After entering the cemetery, take the first right, then, go to the left when the road divides. Drive past stone wall on the right. On the left, count 8 graves back from the next corner, then, walk 6 rows in from the road. You can usually see baseballs, bats, photos and white sox left at the Jackson grave marker.
SHOELESS JOE JACKSON MEMORIAL PARK
Opened on March 30, 1996, this historic ballpark, owned and operated by the Greenville County Recreation District, pays homage to baseball legend "Shoeless: Joe Jackson who grew up and played baseball in the Brandon Mill Community, during the early 1900's. The ball field is adjacent to the old Brandon Mill where Jackson began working when he was just 6 years old.
DIRECTIONS:
Take I-385 North into Greenville. Turn right onto Hwy. 123(Academy Street) and continue approximately 4 miles to Pendleton Street. Go across Pendleton street onto "Shoeless Joe Jackson Memorial Parkway." Continue one mile and turn right onto West Street across from Judson Baptist Church. The ballpark is located at the end of West Street on the right.
Quote:
"The thing I remember most about Joe was not just his great ability as a ball player, but his tremendous generosity. He was the kindest, most generous person you'd ever want to me."
-Joe Anders
Longtime Friend
