Celebrating one of Bloom’s 1957 Mythical State Football Champion

By Donna McCoy

Once known as the fastest man in the nation, Leroy Jackson is sprinting home at the age of 79. Coming from Washington D.C., Leroy is returning to accept the Bobby Bell Award on Saturday, September 15, 2018 in M’Cann Gym.

Leroy played four years of football for Bloom, three years of basketball and ran track for four years. He was All-State in football. His extraordinary speed advanced him to the State Track Meet three years in a row where he won the 100 yard dash all three years along with helping Bloom’s team to win three of their four State Track Championships.

After leaving Bloom, Leroy played college football at Western Illinois. There he was noted as being the fastest ever man to wear a Leatherneck football uniform. He was All- American in both football and track and was inducted into their athletic Hall of Fame.

Jackson was the number one draft pick for the Washington Redskins in 1961. On December 8, 1962, when Leroy turned 23, he caught an 85 yard touchdown pass for the Redskins from Norm Snead, the quarterback against the Baltimore Colts.

It is fitting for Leroy to be nominated for an award that is named after his teammate in basketball and track, Bobby Bell. Bell graduated in 1957, while Leroy is a ’58 graduate.

Bloom’s football field and track have had some major changes from when Bloom was Jackson’s stomping grounds. After he left, the facilities were named after his coaches; Sarff field after Coach Cecil Sarff and Nelson Fieldhouse after Coach Elmer Nelson. Not only were names added, but the track has undergone several changes from the days of the outdoor cinder track and the indoor dirt floor that Leroy ran on. The biggest surprise will be Bloom’s latest renovation of the stadium with a blue turf field and new track and field areas.

A few more tickets are available for the Bobby Bell Awards Dinner starting at 5:15 on Saturday night. Call the Bloom Alumni Athletic Association secretary Donna McCoy at (708) 417-1209. It will be a memorable night with stories of Bloom’s rich athletic history and awards also given to Tom Koenig, Walter Futrell, Tom Erikson, Ernie Turner, Marilyn Anderson and Terry Boers. It will be a “magical, mythical” night to remember.