Roy Lee Jackson facts for kids

Roy Lee Jackson (born May 1, 1954) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a pitcher, which means he threw the ball to the batter. Roy played for four different teams in Major League Baseball over 10 years. These teams were the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, and Minnesota Twins.

Roy Jackson's Early Life

Roy Jackson was born in Opelika, Alabama. After finishing high school, the Houston Astros baseball team wanted to draft him. This means they wanted him to join their team. But Roy decided not to sign with them. Instead, he chose to go to Tuskegee University. He played college baseball there for three years. After college, he signed with the New York Mets as a free agent.

Playing for the New York Mets

Roy started his professional career in the Mets' minor league teams. He played very well, winning 28 games and losing 21. His earned run average (ERA) was 3.09, which is a good score for a pitcher. In 1977, he was called up to play for the main New York Mets team in September.

He made his first Major League Baseball (MLB) appearance against the Montreal Expos. He pitched for 5.2 innings. He allowed three earned runs, but the game ended with no decision for him. He started four games that season, losing two games to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Roy spent the next two seasons mostly in the minor leagues. But he was called up to the Mets again each September. In 1979, he pitched more often as a relief pitcher. This means he came into the game after the starting pitcher. He earned his first MLB win against the Cardinals that year.

In 1980, Roy played about half the season in the major leagues. On July 19, he pitched his only career complete game victory. This means he pitched the entire game himself. It was against the Cincinnati Reds. He also got his only career extra base hit in that game. After losing his next four starts, he moved to the bullpen as a relief pitcher. On September 13, he earned his first career save against the Chicago Cubs. He pitched three innings and only allowed one hit. After the season, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Time with the Toronto Blue Jays

Roy Jackson's first full season in the major leagues was in 1981. He played only as a relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. On April 13, he came into a tough game against the New York Yankees. The bases were loaded with only one out. He managed to get a double play, which ended the inning. Then he pitched a great ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.

He had a record of 1 win and 2 losses with a 3.05 ERA and two saves. Then, a baseball strike stopped the 1981 season. When games started again, Roy became a very reliable pitcher for manager Bobby Mattick. He allowed only three runs in 17.2 innings pitched and earned five more saves. He led the Blue Jays' relief pitchers with 62 innings pitched and a 2.61 ERA. His seven saves were the second most on the team.

Roy continued to play very well in 1982. He pitched the ninth and tenth innings to earn a win in the second game of the season. On May 30, he and another pitcher, Jim Gott, combined to pitch a one-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles. A shutout means the other team scored no runs. This game was also the start of Cal Ripken's amazing streak of 2,632 consecutive games played. On September 28, Roy pitched five innings without allowing a hit against the Minnesota Twins. This was his eighth and final win of the season. Overall, he had 8 wins and 7 losses with six saves as a relief pitcher. His 2.55 ERA in 88.1 innings was the best among Blue Jays relievers. He pitched a career-high 97 total innings and had 71 strikeouts.

In 1983, Roy had his best season for wins, with 8 wins and 3 losses. In 1984, he had a career-high ten saves. In both seasons, he pitched the most innings among the Blue Jays' relief pitchers. Despite these good numbers, the Blue Jays released him in Spring training 1985.

Playing for the San Diego Padres

After leaving the Blue Jays, Roy signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles. He played for their minor league team, the Rochester Red Wings. He had 1 win and 1 loss with a 3.00 ERA there. Then, he was traded to the San Diego Padres.

After a few games with the Las Vegas Stars, Roy was back in the major leagues. He had 2 wins and 3 losses with a 2.70 ERA for the Padres. He also won his first start in two years. He pitched five innings and allowed only two hits against his old team, the Mets.

Final Season with the Minnesota Twins

The Padres released Roy the next spring. He then signed with the Minnesota Twins. He had one win and one save in his one season with the Twins. He signed with the Brewers in 1987. He played four games with the Denver Zephyrs before he retired from baseball.

Roy Jackson's Baseball Career Highlights

Roy Jackson played in 280 games during his 10-year career. He won 28 games and had 34 losses. His career earned run average (ERA) was 3.77. He struck out 351 batters.

Beyond Baseball

Roy Jackson is also a talented singer. He has performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" before baseball games. A picture of him singing one of these songs is on his 1984 Fleer Baseball Card. Today, he is a pastor at the New Creation Service Center in Opelika, Alabama.