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Ransom Joseph Jackson
Brooklyn Dodgers
Third Base
Born: February 10, 1926, Little Rock, AR
Signed: Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent, October 9, 1947
Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1950-1955; Brooklyn Dodgers 1956-1957; Los Angeles Dodgers 1958; Cleveland Indians 1958-1959; Chicago Cubs 1959
Died: March 20, 2019, Athens, GA (age 93)
Randy Jackson played most of his 10-year major league career with the Cubs, heading to two All-Star Games in 1954 and 1955 on the strength of his bat and steady defense at third base. He was the everyday third baseman for the Cubs between 1951 and 1955, hitting a career-high .285 in 1953 and clubbing a career best 21 home runs in 1955. He also led all third baseman with double plays turned in 1955 with 26. With the Dodgers looking to replace their aging star Jackie Robinson (#30) at third, the Cubs sent Jackson and Don Elston to Brooklyn for Don Hoak (#335), Russ Meyer (#227) and Walt Moryn on December 9, 1955. Jackson spent the 1956 season as Robinson's back-up at third, hitting a solid .274 over 101 games. In 1957, he was the Dodgers' opening day second baseman but a knee injury in late April cut his season to just 48 games. On September 28, 1957, Jackson hit the final home run in Brooklyn Dodgers history, a three-run home run off Phillies' pitcher Don Cardwell at Connie Mack Stadium.
Jackson's knee injury relegated him to a bench role for the next two seasons with the Dodgers, Indians and Cubs. In 955 major league games, Jackson batted .261 with 103 home runs and 415 RBIs, and if not for his knee injury in 1956, those numbers would have undoubtedly been higher.
April 22, 2000 in Raleigh, NC - Card #200
This Jackson card has the distinction of being the milestone 200th card we added to the set, and I paid $5 for it at the Sports Card & NASCAR Collectibles Show held in Raleigh, North Carolina a week after tax deadline day and the day before Easter. I bought six cards that day, paying a grand total of $20. Pictures from this time in my life are few and far between, but it looks as if my parents paid a visit to Raleigh for Easter weekend as I have photos of them dressed for what has to be for a church service. We're standing outside the apartment complex where I was living at the time. And it's quite possible my Dad attended this baseball card show in Raleigh with me, which would have been a rarity in those days.
This day is also notable as it's almost 10 years to the day before our youngest son Ben was born. There were some bumpy roads coming up for a few years, but eventually things got back on track.
The Card / Dodgers Team Set
This marks Jackson's first Topps set appearance since 1952. Topps made a valiant effort to replace the Cubs' C logo on Jackson's hat with the Dodgers' B logo. That action shot could be anyone, and it may not be Jackson given Topps wouldn't have a picture of him yet in action in a Dodgers uniform. It looks as if the runner is being called out after a slide into third base against the Phillies. The back of the card highlights his college football career while at Texas Christian University in 1945 and the University of Texas at Austin in 1946. The final cartoon panel explains his trade to the Dodgers for any confused Cubs fans obtaining this card.
Along with all the Dodgers' cards in the set, this card was reprinted for the 1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers set.
1956 Season
With his new club, Jackson made only one start at third base before May 29th. Manager Walter Alston (#8) inserted him into the starting line-up in late May for the slumping Robinson, with Jackson seeing the bulk of the playing time at third throughout the summer. Overall, Jackson started 74 games at third to Robinson's 71, but the veteran Robinson would get the nod over Jackson for all seven games of the World Series against the Yankees. Jackson made three pinch-hitting appearances in the Series, going 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts. For the season, he collected 84 hits, including 15 doubles, seven triples and eight home runs.
1956 Season
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First Mainstream Card: 1952 Bowman #175
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5): 1952, 1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2011 Topps Lineage Autographs #RA-RJ
28 - Jackson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/18/22.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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