Danny Jackson

Danny Lynn Jackson (born January 5, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1997. He played for the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres. A key member of the World Series winning Royals in 1985, Jackson made one of the most important starts in Royals history in the ALCS. Trailing the Blue Jays three games to one and facing elimination, Jackson tossed a complete game shutout and kept the Royals alive. Two weeks later, in the World Series, Jackson again took the ball with the Royals trailing three games to one in a Game Five, and again Jackson led the Royals to a crucial victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. In the seventh inning of that game, he pitched, as of 2018, the only immaculate inning in World Series play; his victims were Terry Pendleton, Tom Nieto and Brian Harper. Jackson's 1.04 post-season ERA with the Royals is the lowest in team history (min 10 IP). After disappointing seasons in 1986 and 1987, Jackson was traded to the Cincinnati Reds where he would become an important part of their World Series winning team. He was selected to the National League NL All-Star team in 1988 and 1994. He tied for the National League lead in wins in 1988 with 23 and, with 18-game winner Tom Browning, combined for the best pitching tandem in baseball that season. Jackson's great 1988 season went largely unnoticed because of the outstanding season turned in by the Dodgers Orel Hershiser. In total, Jackson played in three World Series for three different franchises: the 1985 Kansas City Royals, the 1990 Cincinnati Reds, and the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies.