Will "Cannonball" Jackman Comes to Life

By Sarah Berlinger   

Being the sports enthusiasts that we are, MTS was delighted to recently receive a collection of baseball memorabilia from the Museum of African American History in Boston. 

Will "Cannonball" Jackman, pictured wearing a uniform identical to the one MTS is currently working on. Photo courtesy of The Cannonball Foundation website.

The twenty items, including shoes, socks, rosin bags, and a uniform, all belonged to Will "Cannonball” Jackman. A professional pitcher for over 25 years, he has been called “the best baseball player you’ve never heard of.” 

Uniform jersey before conservation. Photo courtesy of Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket, MA, USA.

Throughout Jackman’s career, he played in Texas, Oklahoma, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts.  He came to play for the Boston Colored Giants in 1924, and proved his dominance in the Greater Boston Colored League. Jackman played baseball into his sixties; a truly amazing feat. According to Negro League superstar Bill Yancey, later a Yankees scout, Jackman was the greatest all-around ballplayer he ever saw.  

Initials "W.J." written inside the waistband of the pants. Photo courtesy of Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket, MA, USA.

The Jackman collection arrived at MTS for assessment to determine the feasibility of display in the upcoming MAAH exhibit, The Color of Baseball in Boston. The first course of action was to send the items to be treated in the anoxic fumigation chamber at Historic New England. Some items, Such as Cannonball's cap, showed damage from past insect activity.

Cannonball Jackman's cap prior to conservation. Photo courtesy of Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket, MA, USA.

After fumigation, the collection was surface-cleaned with a HEPA vacuum to remove particulate matter. All but four of the clothing items will be washed  gently to reduce deterioration products without removing signs of past use.  

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The shoes have been reinforced for pitching. Photo courtesy of Museum of African American History, Boston and Nantucket, MA, USA. 

Stitched repairs will be kept to a minimum but crucial restorations will be undertaken to camouflage insect damage. A custom-built Ethafoam mannequin will then be constructed  
to allow the uniform to be exhibited. 

A historic newspaper photo of Jackman, possibly taken in 1971 when he was honored by the city of Boston with "Will Jackman Day."

Jackman chose to make Massachusetts his home because of how well he was treated here, and he stayed in the area until his death in 1972. While playing, he also held a job as chauffeur. He drove during the day, pitched nights and weekends, and then kept his chauffering job after retiring from the sport. 

We’re very excited to have a role in the preservation of artifacts belonging to such an important member of Boston sports history.