Jackie Walker (American football, born 1950)
| No. 52 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth: | April 14, 1950 | ||
| Place of birth: | Knoxville, Tennessee | ||
| Date of death: | December 5, 2002 (aged 52) | ||
| Place of death: | Atlanta, Georgia | ||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Knoxville (TN) Fulton | ||
| College: | Tennessee | ||
| NFL Draft: | 1972 / Round: 6 / Pick: 148 | ||
| Career history | |||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at NFL.com |
Jackie Eugene Walker (April 14, 1950 – December 5, 2002) was an American football linebacker who played for the University of Tennessee from 1969 to 1971. A two-time All-American, he was the first black captain of a Southeastern Conference squad. Walker shares the NCAA record for most interceptions returned for a touchdown, with five. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 1972 NFL Draft, but was cut before the season.
In the years following his death, Walker's supporters campaigned to have him inducted into local and national halls of fame, arguing he has been denied such recognition because he was gay.
Walker was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, one of five children of Norman and Violet (Wilson) Walker. He grew up in what is now the Parkridge neighborhood of East Knoxville. His older brother, Marshall, was among the first African-American students to attend a desegregated Fulton High School, where he was a standout in football, and was awarded a scholarship to Florida A&M.
Jackie followed in his brother's footsteps, joining the Fulton squad in 1965. His head coach, Lon Herzbrun, had played for Tennessee in the mid-1950s, and had built Fulton into a regional powerhouse. During his senior year in 1967, Walker averaged over 20 tackles per game, and was named All-State, helping lead Fulton to an undefeated season. In a game against Oak Ridge, he delivered a legendary tackle, known simply as "The Hit," that knocked an opposing player unconscious.
Walker had planned to follow his brother to Florida A&M, but was offered a scholarship to Tennessee. He and Andy Bennett became only the school's second and third black football players (the first, Lester McClain, had joined the team in 1967). Walker played briefly for the freshman team in 1968 (freshmen were ineligible to play for the varsity squad prior to the 1970s) before suffering an injury.
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