Jackie Walker (American football, born 1950) facts for kids

Jackie Eugene Walker (born April 14, 1950 – died December 5, 2002) was an American football linebacker. He played for the University of Tennessee from 1969 to 1971. Jackie was named an All-American twice. He was also the first black captain of a team in the Southeastern Conference.

Jackie Walker holds an NCAA record for returning five interceptions for a touchdown. This means he caught the ball from the other team and ran it all the way to score. He was chosen by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1972 NFL Draft. After his death, many people worked to get him into sports halls of fame.

Early Life: Jackie Walker's Journey

Jackie Walker was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was one of five children. He grew up in the Parkridge neighborhood of East Knoxville. His older brother, Marshall, was one of the first African-American students at Fulton High School. Marshall was a great football player and earned a scholarship to Florida A&M.

Jackie followed his brother to Fulton High School in 1965. His coach, Lon Herzbrun, had played for Tennessee. Coach Herzbrun made Fulton a very strong team. In his senior year, 1967, Jackie made over 20 tackles per game. He was named All-State. He helped Fulton have a perfect season without any losses. In one game, he made a famous tackle called "The Hit." It was so powerful it knocked an opposing player unconscious.

College Football Star: Tennessee Years

Jackie had planned to go to Florida A&M like his brother. But then he got a scholarship offer from the University of Tennessee. He and Andy Bennett were the second and third black football players at the school. The first was Lester McClain, who joined in 1967. Jackie played briefly for the freshman team in 1968. He then got injured.

Joining the Tennessee Volunteers

Before his second year in 1969, Tennessee's coach, Doug Dickey, hired Jackie's high school coach, Lon Herzbrun. Herzbrun became the linebackers coach. He made Jackie a starter right away. Some people doubted this choice. Herzbrun told them if it didn't work, they could have his job.

Jackie played alongside tough senior players like Steve Kiner and Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds. He made a big impact immediately. In a game against Alabama, Jackie intercepted a pass. He ran it 27 yards for a touchdown. In another game against Kentucky, he intercepted a pass and ran it 54 yards for a touchdown. He was named a Sophomore All-American at the end of the season.

Leading the Defense: 1970 Season

For the 1970 season, Bill Battle became the new head coach. Coach Battle trusted Jackie to call the defensive plays. This meant Jackie had to quickly understand the other team's formation. Then he would tell his defense what to do.

In Tennessee's 24–0 win over Alabama, Jackie intercepted two passes. He returned one for a touchdown. He also made two tackles that stopped the other team for a loss. This helped Tennessee shut out a team coached by the famous Bear Bryant. A week later, Jackie returned another interception for a touchdown. This happened in Tennessee's 38–7 win over Florida. In November, against South Carolina, Jackie made 10 tackles. He stopped a running back just before the goal line. He also intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble. He ended the season with 132 tackles, which was the most on his team. He also had five interceptions. Jackie was named an All-American by The Football News.

Team Captain and Record Breaker: 1971 Season

Before his senior year in 1971, Jackie's teammates voted him team captain. This made him the first black player to be a captain in the Southeastern Conference. One of the players he was chosen over was Phillip Fulmer, who later became a head coach.

In a game against Auburn, Jackie blocked a field goal attempt. He blocked it again after a penalty. He almost blocked another kick that would have won the game for Auburn. He was named "Southeast Defensive Player of the Week." The next week, against Florida, Jackie intercepted a pass. He also caused the other team to miss a field goal and an extra point.

In October 1971, Coach Bear Bryant of Alabama was very worried about Jackie. He had three of his best offensive linemen, including John Hannah, try to stop Jackie. Jackie's teammate Jamie Rotella said that Jackie fought hard through every block. Jackie finished that game with 17 tackles. But Tennessee lost 32–15. Alabama continued to use this special blocking plan against other teams. It became known as "The Jackie Walker Play."

The next week, against Mississippi State, Jackie intercepted a pass. He returned it 43 yards for the winning touchdown. He returned his NCAA-record fifth career interception for a touchdown in the last game of the regular season. This was against Penn State. He helped Tennessee upset the unbeaten Penn State team, 31–11. He finished the season with 126 tackles and four interceptions. He was again named an All-American.

Amazing College Records

During his college career, Jackie intercepted 11 passes. He returned five of them for touchdowns. He ran for 281 total yards after his interceptions. In 1970 and 1971, he made 258 tackles. He also forced six fumbles and recovered four. Jackie Walker's record of five interceptions returned for touchdowns is still an NCAA record. He shares it with three other players. Tennessee had a great record of 30 wins and only 5 losses while Jackie was a starting linebacker.

After College: NFL Dreams and Legacy

The San Francisco 49ers drafted Jackie Walker in the sixth round of the 1972 NFL Draft. He was considered a bit small for an NFL linebacker. The 49ers hoped to change his position to strong safety. He found it hard to switch positions. He was cut from the team before the season started. His old coach, Herzbrun, thought the 49ers didn't give him enough time to learn the new position. Jackie later tried out for the Washington Redskins, but he didn't make that team either.

In 1974, Jackie stopped trying to play in the NFL. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia. There, he worked for the city's parks and recreation department. He passed away on December 5, 2002.

After Jackie's death, his brother Marshall worked to get him the recognition he deserved. In 2007, a reporter named Betty Bean wrote an article about Jackie's life. Jackie's former coach Lon Herzbrun and some teammates, like Tim Priest and Phillip Fulmer, were surprised that Jackie's career was not more widely known. They started working to honor him. Jackie was inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. He was also inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2014, Jackie was on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame. He was one of 75 players considered, but he was not chosen that year.