CHS to retire Wilbur Jackson football jersey on Friday
JAY HARE / DOTHAN EAGLE
Wilbur Jackson poses for a photo at the Carroll High School football field on Wednesday afternoon. Jackson's jersey will be retired at CHS on Friday night.
Posted: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 5:08 pm
OZARKāWilbur Jackson is known in his hometown as a man of few words.
But Jacksonās contributions locally and nationally, on and off the football field, were recognized on Tuesday with a proclamation full of words on his accomplishments.
Jackson is a 1970 Carroll High School graduate who became the first black student to receive a full football scholarship to the University of Alabama.
According to the proclamation ā which documents Friday, Oct. 4, as Wilbur Jackson Day ā Jackson was selected as captain of the 1973 National Championship team at UA and still holds the record for the most yards per carry.
In 1974, he was selected in the first round of the NFL draft and voted Rookie of the Year. He was picked ninth overall by the San Francisco 49ers. Jackson completed his nine-year NFL career with the Washington Redskins. He was a member of the 1982 Washington Redskins Super Bowl championship team.
The proclamation states that after his career, Jackson returned to Ozark where he and his wife Martha raised their daughter, Emily, and started his business, 3 Star Services.
Jackson said an injury he suffered as a basketball player was the beginning of his football career at D.A. Smith, where he said his mother conceded to letting him play football once she realized he could get hurt at any sport.
Jackson said he only played football at the high school level for two years. He said he was āat the right place at the right timeā when the footage of a jamboree game he played under then-CHS Coach Tom McClendon was viewed by college level coaches.
Jackson said he returned to the Wiregrass and worked a night shift job at the nuclear plant each summer between seasons at UA. He said he made the decision to play professional football so he could help his father, who had already put Jacksonās sisters through college.
Jackson remembers the first game his mother attended while he was at UA.
āThey showed up in their Sunday best, not knowing a ball game was something you just wore anything to,ā Jackson said, smiling.
āPlaying professional ball was never really a goal we had. I just saw an opportunity and I took it. There were many others I saw that were capable of doing the same.ā
Ozark Mayor Billy Blackwell said Jacksonās humility is what made his accomplishments even more honorable.
Jackson said he was thankful for the recognition.
āI appreciate it, all the people that have supported me, the family, the lifelong friends and teachers and church members I have,ā Jackson said.
On Friday, Ozark City Schools is expected to officially retire Jacksonās number 42 football jersey during Carrollās homecoming football game.
The jersey is expected to hang on the high schoolās new Wall of Fame in the athletic department.
Ozark honors local, national football standout
JAY HARE / DOTHAN EAGLE
Wilbur Jackson poses for a photo at the Carroll High School football field on Wednesday afternoon. Jackson's jersey will be retired at CHS on Friday night.
Posted: Wednesday, October 2, 2013 5:08 pm
OZARKāWilbur Jackson is known in his hometown as a man of few words.
But Jacksonās contributions locally and nationally, on and off the football field, were recognized on Tuesday with a proclamation full of words on his accomplishments.
Jackson is a 1970 Carroll High School graduate who became the first black student to receive a full football scholarship to the University of Alabama.
According to the proclamation ā which documents Friday, Oct. 4, as Wilbur Jackson Day ā Jackson was selected as captain of the 1973 National Championship team at UA and still holds the record for the most yards per carry.
In 1974, he was selected in the first round of the NFL draft and voted Rookie of the Year. He was picked ninth overall by the San Francisco 49ers. Jackson completed his nine-year NFL career with the Washington Redskins. He was a member of the 1982 Washington Redskins Super Bowl championship team.
The proclamation states that after his career, Jackson returned to Ozark where he and his wife Martha raised their daughter, Emily, and started his business, 3 Star Services.
Jackson said an injury he suffered as a basketball player was the beginning of his football career at D.A. Smith, where he said his mother conceded to letting him play football once she realized he could get hurt at any sport.
Jackson said he only played football at the high school level for two years. He said he was āat the right place at the right timeā when the footage of a jamboree game he played under then-CHS Coach Tom McClendon was viewed by college level coaches.
Jackson said he returned to the Wiregrass and worked a night shift job at the nuclear plant each summer between seasons at UA. He said he made the decision to play professional football so he could help his father, who had already put Jacksonās sisters through college.
Jackson remembers the first game his mother attended while he was at UA.
āThey showed up in their Sunday best, not knowing a ball game was something you just wore anything to,ā Jackson said, smiling.
āPlaying professional ball was never really a goal we had. I just saw an opportunity and I took it. There were many others I saw that were capable of doing the same.ā
Ozark Mayor Billy Blackwell said Jacksonās humility is what made his accomplishments even more honorable.
Jackson said he was thankful for the recognition.
āI appreciate it, all the people that have supported me, the family, the lifelong friends and teachers and church members I have,ā Jackson said.
On Friday, Ozark City Schools is expected to officially retire Jacksonās number 42 football jersey during Carrollās homecoming football game.
The jersey is expected to hang on the high schoolās new Wall of Fame in the athletic department.
Ozark honors local, national football standout
