Joe Jackson Barnstorming Photo

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Posted By: Anonymous

Upon further thought on this......... Based on all the other towns Joe Jackson played in (post-banishment)....when he arrived it was a big day for the local newspapers.....in other words that made a very BIG deal of it. I would assume the same to be true for Zanesville (again...if he used his real name...and I have reason to believe at this time (1923) he was using his real name when playing ball for these teams. Joe had already tested "the waters"...those waters being whether MLB had jurisdiction over him playing in those leagues....and found out they DID NOT....so he started using his real name at that point). But for argument sake....lets say he DOES use his real name in Zanesville......then even if it's only for one game......trust me when I say this....the newspapers would have made a big deal out of it. Quite frankly.....this very picture possibly appeared in the paper at that time (that would be the ideal best situation....that this photo appears in the Zanesville paper and that it lists Jackson there....that would be GREAT!!!). I can promise you....if Jackson was there in 1923 and used his real name....and they had a paper in Zanesville at the time.......trust me...it WILL be in there and they would have made a big deal over it. My dad saw Joe in Waycross, GA in 1924 and 1925 and he said it was a very big deal in Waycross....the papers made a fuss over it (which I have the newspaper copy to prove that statement), he said that the town shut down at 3:30 so every person in town could attend the first game Joe played there. He said the Waycross team didn't have a uniform for Joe to wear...so he wore his 1917 White Sox uniform (upon further research from me....not only was it just any 1917 White Sox uniform....it was the 1917 special World Series uniform). My dad remembered it had a flag on the sleeve and it was brightly colored. Anyway....I say this as a way to show it was a very big deal when Jackson showed up to play ball in these towns....so it shouldn't be hard to spot on microfilm (again....if he played under his real name....the work comes in if he didn't play under his real name).

If I don't hear something from someone on this group soon concerning that research, I will inquire about an inter-library loan of that microfilm to my local library....that's how much I want to KNOW one way or the other whether this guy is Jackson or not.

Thanks for allowing me to spew forth on this great forum...and when you guys have had enough of me.....tell me to SHUT UP!!!....and I'll be gone!!! To BlackSoxFan.....I read your post and if you ever want to converse with me directly....feel free to, I'm usually available....send an email to shoeless@blackbetsy and my staff will get it to me....that goes for anyone wanting to discuss Jackson related issues....be glad to talk to anyone, anytime.

Thanks,

Mike Nola
Official Historian
The Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame Web Site
http://www.blackbetsy.com/
Home of the Joe Jackson model Louisville Slugger baseball bat offer.
The voice said "Build it and they will come".........and they have!!!!!