JACKSON, George Jesse "Cannonball"

JACKSON, George Jesse "Cannonball". (CA, 1891--Dubuque, IA, Dec. 16, 1924). For two or more years prior to his death, Jackson had been a member of the Glinkenson Union Giants of Chicago. While playing with the colored team, Jackson also played in Dubuque pitching against the Dubuque White Sox and other teams. In 1922 he had dazzled the local crowd by striking out 17 opposing batters. He was also employed by the J. A. Rassmussen and Sons street improvement contractors.

Investigators into his untimely death found that Jackson had been struck in the head by an acquaintance. The man plead guilty to manslaughter and was given an eight-year sentence. When local African Americans found that Jackson had no relatives, a collection was taken up so that he could have a proper grave and marker in LINWOOD CEMETERY. (1)

Area containing the unmarked grave. Photo courtesy: Kimberly L.

A map showing the area in Linwood in which with other graves including the burial site of Jackson was located. Photo courtesy: Linwood Cemetery/ Find-A-Grave

For unknown reasons, the grave did not receive a marker and lay unmarked for more than 100 years. It was not until John T. PREGLER read of Jackson's story that he contacted the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) of which he was a member. Pregler worked with Jeremy Krock, the founder of the marker project which had by then placed 54 markers around the United States since 2004.

The ceremony commemorating the marking of Jackson's grave in Dubuque occurred on August 25, 2024 at Linwood. (2)

Source:

1. "Colored Baseball Star is Buried," Telegraph-Herald, December 24, 1924, p. 18

2. Hogstrom, Eric, "Black Baseball Pioneer's Grave Will be Marked in Dubuque Ceremony," Telegraph Herald, August 20, 2024, p. 2