Spook Jacobs Honored by Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame
Spook Jacobs Honored by Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Big Five, 600 South West 92nd Avenue Miami, Florida
SPOOK JACOBS HONORED BY HOF
by Max Silberman
Charles Monfort, Director of the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame , has announced the induction of Spook Jacobs who played many winter seasons in Cuba and the Caribbean as well as his many years in the majors and minors.
Since the founding of the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society, Spook Jacobs or should we say “Senor Jacobs”, has never refused an autograph or personal appearance at reunions, Veterans Homes, ballparks and special events and has been a true ambassador of good will, always willing to talk baseball with his fans.
Other familiar inductees include: Joe Black, Sal Maglie, Ray Dandridge, Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson.
Jacobs played nine seasons of Latin and Caribbean baseball with a batting average of over .300, and one of the fastest men ever to play the sport. He made the All Star squad six times and appeared in four of the Caribbean World Series.
Jacobs has the fondest memories of his time in Cuba remembering the total dedication of the fans. He can still taste many a delicious roasted pork sandwich with a side dish of black beans and rice, which was also a favorite of the late Vic Power.
The Brooklyn Dodgers signed Jacobs but with their two dozen farm clubs, his opportunity to play in the majors came in 1954 with the A’s and later in Kansas City with the transplanted A’s and the Pittsburgh Pirates where he preceded Bill Mazeroski.
Today, Spook resides with wife Bobbie and son Bobby in Delaware. The A’s Society congratulates the Jacobs family on this great honor.
