Autographs
Glory, Hallelujah, Shoeless Joe Jackson finally has path to Baseball Hall of Fame
When you visit the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library, one of the first things that catches your eye is an image of old Shoeless Joe sitting in his Greenville, S.C. home, grinning and holding a shiny, old trophy.
It is a baseball trophy, no doubt, probably won when Shoeless Joe hit .450 for some textile mill team somewhere.
Displayed prominently next to the image, and also inside the museum, are these profound words:
“God knows I gave my best in baseball at all times, and no man on earth can truthfully judge me otherwise.”
You Might Also Like:
The museum is located inside the home Shoeless Joe and his wife Katie built in their hometown in 1940, long after Jackson had been banned from baseball for betting on the 1919 World Series during the infamous Black Sox scandal.
After the controversial ban, Jackson bounced around the game for about 20 years, playing and managing in semi-pro leagues before he and Katie returned to Greenville and opened “Joe Jackson’s Liquor Store.”
Their ole textile-mill-style home was moved in 2006 from its original location across town to Fleur Field, home of the Greenville Drive, the Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. A bronze statue of Jackson, Greenville’s favorite son, stands outside the ballpark.
The non-profit museum is filled with wonderful photos and artifacts from Jackson’s illustrious career and has worked tirelessly for years to get Shoeless Joe reinstated by Major League Baseball. Hanging on the wall of one room is a letter from Hall of Famer Ted Williams, pledging his support for the efforts to have Jackson reinstated and inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Near the back of the museum is a wonderful little library filled with baseball books—delightful books not just on Shoeless Joe but on the glorious history of baseball and its many colorful characters. South of Field of Dreams in Iowa, this is baseball heaven.
Inside the library is a small table with a few Shoeless Joe artifacts, including a letter from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred denying the museum’s request to have the ban lifted and Jackson reinstated.
A few miles away is Woodlawn Memorial Park, where Jackson and his wife are buried. Jackson’s grave is often covered with baseball memorabilia, including bats and balls and letters from fans and supporters calling for Joe to receive his just reward.
Glory, halleluiah, Joe’s day has finally arrived.
Thankfully, the efforts of the museum and thousands of Jackson supporters paid off when Manfred finally gave in and did the right thing.
When MLB announced that Jackson, Pete Rose and other former stars who had been banned from the game will now be reinstated, it paved the way for them to finally become eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Hopefully, members of the Hall and its voting committees will move quickly to vote Rose and Shoeless Joe into the Hall of Fame.
It would be fitting if they were both inducted in the same class—two of the greatest hitters in the history of the game finally getting their just reward.
— Jeff Owens is the editor of SCD. You can reach him at jowens@aimmedia.com
Jeff Owens is the editor of SCD.
