PURSUE THE PENNANTS: #420 LARRY JACKSON

BENEFITED THE CUBS COMING AND GOING.

THAT ERROR-LESS STREAK SET AN ML RECORD.

WHO'S THE HERO?

Right-hander Larry Jackson was part of two great trades for the Cubs, one coming and one going. A three-time All-Star for the Cardinals, he was acquired in 1963 in a six-player deal, along with Lindy McDaniel, primarily for Don Cardwell and Dick Groat. In '64, he had his career year, winning a major-league leading 24 games for a 76-win club and finishing second for the Cy Young Award. Jackson was traded in April '66 in a four-player deal that brought Fergie Jenkins from the Phillies.

Jackson's 194 wins are the most in the live-ball era for a right-hander who never pitched for a winning team.
Led the NL in innings (282) in '60 and won at least 13 games each year in his last 12 seasons.
After retiring following the '68 season, he served four terms in the Idaho Legislature.

I like how Topps occasionally pairs a Heritage set player from the same team with a player from the set it's honoring. In this case, Jackson and Jeff Samardzija at No. 420. A starter the past two seasons, Samardzija, like Jackson, has pitched for some bad Cubs teams. He could wind up being traded before the deadline this season after not agreeing to a long-term contract. A strikeout pitcher, he's the unquestioned ace for a team in full rebuild mode.