Darrell Preston Jackson, a steady and soft-spoken left-hander who spent his entire major-league career with the Minnesota Twins, passed away on July 5 after a battle with lung cancer. He was 70.
Born April 3, 1956, in Los Angeles, Jackson grew up in a difficult environment where stability was scarce and the pressures around him were real. Baseball became both refuge and identity — first at Locke High School where his teammates included future Baseball Hall of Famers Eddie Murray and Ozzie Smith. All three were members of the class of 1973, and later at Arizona State University, where his athleticism and smooth left-handed delivery caught the Twins’ eye. Minnesota drafted him twice, in 1973 and again in 1977, finally signing the compact, 5′ 10″ southpaw whose poise on the mound contrasted sharply with the turbulence he faced off it.
Darrell Jackson’s professional debut in 1978 was the stuff of organizational lore: pitching for the Double-A Orlando Twins, he threw nine innings of no-hit ball in his very first outing, walking seven and fanning five. He was taken out with a 0-0 tie in the 10th in favor of Jeff Holly. Orlando beat the Jacksonville Suns, 1-0. performance that convinced the club he was ready for more. After just 10 minor-league starts, the Twins fast-tracked him to the majors in June 1978. He debuted on June 16 against Detroit, working 7.1 innings and earning the win. Four starts later, he fired a shutout against the Oakland Athletics, cementing his place in the rotation and finishing his rookie season with a 4–6 record.
