A Texas Christian University football player, Jackson played in the 1945 and ’46 Cotton Bowls. He hit 19, 19, and 21 homers in 1953-55 with the Cubs. In 1955 he led NL third basemen in double plays. The Dodgers traded Walt Moryn, Don Hoak, and Russ Meyer to the Cubs for Jackson and pitcher Don Elston in the expectation that the slugger would succeed Jackie Robinson at third base, but after a serious knee injury in 1957, Jackson never again played regularly.
