Mr. Jackie Walker is a name that I was not as familiar with as I was with other UT greats such as Peyton Manning, Tee Martin, and even my own mentor, Antone Davis. Jackie was from Knoxville, Tennessee and attended Fulton High School. In high school he was best known for averaging over 20 tackles a game and even knocking one Oak Ridge player unconscious. He went on to play college football at UT and was the only the second black player on the team.
Not only was he just the second black player on UT's team, he was also the first black captain in the SEC. Fun fact: He outpolled his fellow senior player Phillip Fulmer to become the captain. He was later drafted to the San Francisco 49ers as a 6th round pick. Football however, did not work out for him in the long run.
Many say that Jackie was not given the recognition that he deserved throughout his years as a football player and overall as a person. One reason why this happened was due to his sexual orientation. People were not fond of his identity that he refused to hide which made him unpopular. Jackie died from AIDS in 2002 after working in the parks and recreation department in Atlanta. However, his fame followed him after his death as many advocated for him to be inducted into not only the Greater Knoxville Hall of Fame but also the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. Many of the people that campaigned for his recognition included former teammates Phillip Fulmer and Tim Priest.
I chose Jackie Walker because although he may not have gotten the recognition he truly deserved, it does not mean his story does not need to be told.
It's interesting to see how we don't remember or commemorate Jackie Walker. I'm sure his story is very interesting and would like to know more!
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