Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba.com

Working on the BGSUsports.com site this weekend, I was hammering out a biography on Carlos Jackson, former halfback and O-Coordinator. He passed away in 1974, either during, or just after his coaching stint with the Falcons. One of the longest-running post-season awards is named in his honor, awarded to the player that, in short, gives everything he has all the time and bleeds orange and brown.

Do any of you old timers (or I suppose anyone) know more about Carlos? As I kept reading, I think it's guys like him that make my work on that site worthwhile. Everyone knows the exploits of McClure, Blake, Thurmond, etc... but finding great stories like this are making this site a thrill for me.

Here's what I have so far on Carlos: http://www.bgsusports.com/mambo/index.p ... &Itemid=53

I remember that like it was yesterday. Carlos' son Andy was playing at UM at the time, and Bo Schembechler actually told Andy that his father had passed. I believe he was a brother to Grant Jackson, the major league pitcher.

Carlos Jackson played rb for the Falcons during the 50's. Brother Grant pitched for a number of years in the big's; brother Cecil played freshman basketball at BG. Long time assistant coach at Fostoria High School before coming to BG to join Don Nehlen's staff in '68. He was BG's first African American assistant coach in football; he may have been the first African American to coach any sport at BG.

Passed away in '74 just before the Falcons flew to Southern Mississippi.

Carlos was class. What a great guy.

It should be noted that he came back from a bout with polio to play and coach.

I wonder if you could somehow ask Bo himself. It would be worth a try to email the UofM athletic department to see if you could indirectly ask him a question.

It's a long shot, but it may give you some really good information on the man.

Rightupinthere wrote:I wonder if you could somehow ask Bo himself. It would be worth a try to email the UofM athletic department to see if you could indirectly ask him a question.

It's a long shot, but it may give you some really good information on the man.

God, is this almost a tear in my eye reading a few of these? THANKS GUYS!!!

I found a website that listed a Carlos Jackson as the Fostoria HS class president in 1949, I assumed it was the same, but the years didn't quite match up. If he took time off to fight polio *before* even coming to BG, what a remarkable story!!! There are a couple guys in the alumni chapter here in Indy that were at BG in the mid-50's, I'll have to ask them what they know, too.

(Actually, this tied it up pretty good, for now: http://www.tiffin.org/schools/FHS/cheer ... fFame.html )

And I had thought about trying to email Schembechler for a few parts of the site. Alot of it due to his line from the memorial service for Doyt Perry that I think I'll make my sig line now.

Tswam wrote:Passed away in '74 just before the Falcons flew to Southern Mississippi.

I think I'm on a Carlos Jackson fix all of a sudden... for those that didn't click the link, he passed away on 11/14/74, 31 years ago tomorrow.