Southwestern Oklahoma State Athletics

W.E. Jackson was a star baseball pitcher for Southwestern during an unprecedented run of success under legendary Coach Rankin Williams during the 1950s. Jackson was a hard throwing left hander from Burns Flat, Okla., who joined Southwestern after winning back-to-back state high school baseball championships in 1950 and 1951.

As a freshman, Jackson teamed with Roy “Bud” Tinney and formed a dominating pitching combination in 1952. The two often worked in tandem while one started the other one would come in relief. The system worked as the Bulldogs won the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference championship that year. Tinney signed a professional contract with the Boston Red Sox, leaving Jackson to handle the Bulldogs pitching load the next year. W.E. responded brilliantly carrying the team to three more consecutive conference titles in 1953, 1954 and 1955. The titles were a part of nine straight won under Rankin Williams from 1951 to 1959.

Jackson never lost a collegiate start while winning more than 25 games in his career. His most memorable game came in 1955 when he pitched 12 shutout innings against rival Phillips University. Jackson struck out 25 batters, a record that to this day is unmatched.

Jackson then served in the United States Army following his graduation where he was stationed in Germany.

He then went on to teach business in a number of high schools in and around Nebraska. He continued to stay active in the sport he loved coaching high school, little league, pony league and legion baseball for a number of years.