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Olympic sprinter Jackson dies
Former University of Illinois standout and 1964 Olympic sprinter Trenton Jackson died Sunday at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. He was 65.
The inaugural member of the Rochester (N.Y.) Track Club Hall of Fame inducted in 1970, Jackson ran the 100-yard dash in 9.4 seconds on June 3, 1961 to match the then national high school record set by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Jesse Owens in 1933. One stopwatch timed him in 9.3, while the other two stopped at 9.4.
Nicknamed the "Franklin Flash," Jackson was a star on the Franklin H.S. (Rochester) Quakers' 1960 Section V Class AA championship basketball team. Jackson attended the University of Illinois on a football and track scholarship and played in the 1964 Rose Bowl when the Illini defeated the University of Washington. He later played briefly with the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins as a wide receiver and kick return specialist.
Representing the Rochester Track Club at the 1964 Olympic Trials, Jackson was the runner-up in the men's 100 meters to eventual gold medalist and National Track & Field Hall of Famer Bob Hayes. Considered a favorite to medal prior to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Jackson strained a hamstring in the semifinals and finished last in the race.
After his brief NFL career he returned to Rochester and taught and coached at Franklin H.S. for 26 years leading his team to six Section V basketball titles. Later, he often ran in local summer track meets at the Rochester Institute of Technology where he got his start.
Even in his late 40's and early 50's Jackson was known as one of the quickest starters in the 100 meters. He was also a member of the Section V Track and Field, Football and Basketball Hall of Fame.
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