Pacific Coast League focus: Jackson is no bit player
The Tucson Sidewinders player is making his own way - and very proud of
his
father's acting career.
By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Thursday, July 14, 2005
Someday, Conor Jackson may delve into another field of skill and timing
and
execution.
Maybe even play the role of an admiral like his old man.
These days, his act is pure baseball, every day, year-round, with a
major-league destination to reach and untold riches to earn.
Conor is the Triple-A All-Star first baseman for the Tucson Sidewinders
who
started for the Pacific Coast League squad Wednesday night at Raley Field.
Yes, he's the guy who might cause the absolute baseball die-hard to stop,
stroke his chin and think, hey, isn't that the player whose dad ... "
That would be he.
Conor's dad, John M. Jackson, played Admiral A.J. Chegwidden, head of the
Judge Advocate Corps in the popular television series "JAG." (That
included
one episode in which Barry Zito of the A's played the role of a Navy
pitcher
who beaned a Marine in a game, was arrested for assault with a deadly
weapon
and was successfully defended by the lawyers of "JAG.")
The elder Jackson also played a high-ranking military officer in the hit
movie "A Few Good Men" that starred Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson (think
"You can't handle the truth!").
"I used to think it was really cool that my dad was in movies and on TV,"
said Jackson, who was 2 for 2 with a walk Wednesday night. "Still do, but
you get to the point where it's not weird to me anymore. Baseball and
acting
are similar. Acting is a craft, like baseball. I might get into it
someday,
but the only thing I'm thinking about now is baseball."
He had both crafts on his mind at Cal, studying theater by morning and
taking the field by afternoon. But he said theater can be "boring," at
least
for a guy who really craves baseball.
At 23, Jackson already has made a quick ascent, from self-described
average
player in high school in Orange County to pretty much lost his freshman
year
at Cal to a slugger for the Bears and, now, to a real prospect.
Drafted in the first round, 19th overall, in 2003 by the Arizona
Diamondbacks, Jackson went from Class A to Double A last season to this,
the
Triple-A showcase, all while adjusting to a new position (he was a third
baseman at Cal) and better pitching.
He's off to the best start of his baseball life, second in the PCL with a
..372 average and fourth in RBIs with 59.
"All the hype (about Jackson as a player) is exactly right," said PCL
manager Tony DeFrancesco, also the River Cats' manager. "He's selective at
the plate, he has great power, and he can drive the ball to any field."
Jackson said his father has been by his side from the start, either in
person or through the conveniences of cell phone and e-mail technology (he
wasn't at Wednesday's game).
"It was a great experience for me growing up, my dad acting, and he being
around a lot for me because he wasn't a typical 9-to-5 guy," Jackson said.
"He was always there for my games, to throw me some pitches, to play
catch.
That was huge for me."
Jackson played some bit parts in commercials when he was 12 years old.
Easy
stuff, he said. But ...
"My parents said, 'S****ts or acting,' " Jackson recalled. "I chose
s****ts."
Acting comes later, when he's officially all grown up.
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