Former Beaver County, local college all-stars being honored by Pittsburgh Basketball Club
They share the same last name. They're both basketball legends in their nearby communities of Beaver Falls and New Brighton.
But, Oscar Jackson and Gabe Jackson have never met.
That will change Saturday, when they'll be inducted together into the Pittsburgh Basketball Club's Hall of Fame.
"For years, so many people thought we were related," said Gabe Jackson, a 1991 New Brighton graduate. "We're not. But ironically, I did know his father. Up until I was 13 or 14, I would always have my hair cut at Mr. Jackson's barber shop in Beaver Falls.
"I've heard so many great things about Oscar, so I can't wait to meet him."
"My father used to cut Gabe's hair? How about that?" said Oscar Jackson, a 1971 Beaver Falls grad. "That's a great story. So yes, I am looking forward to meeting him."
Oscar Jackson and Gabe Jackson are among 15 inductees — 11 former players from the Pittsburgh area as well as four contributors — in the PBC's 2018 Hall of Fame class.
In 1970, when Beaver Falls won its first WPIAL and state basketball titles, Oscar was a 6-foot-1 small forward in his junior season. He was the only starter who wasn't a senior: point guard Gary Goosby, shooting guard Ken Wagoner, 6-5 forward Denny Kopka and 6-3 center Al Hmiel all were.
The Tigers beat Ambridge in the WPIAL Class 3A final 65-61 and then routed Havorford in the state final 82-58. Oscar scored 28 points in the state championship game.
As a senior, he once scored 52 points in a game and was named first-team all-state.
Oscar, who was nicknamed "Automatic O," went on to play college basketball at Duquesne. He was a three-year starter for the Dukes and averaged 10.8 points per game. He was Atlanta's eighth-round pick in the 1975 NBA draft, but was released by the Hawks just before the start of the season.
After a brief stint with Hazelton in the Eastern League, a hamstring injury effectively ended his basketball career. He then embarked on a 33-year career as a personnel supervisor at Corning Glass Company and currently resides in the Charlotte, N.C. area.
"To answer that question, nothing but pride and joy," he said when asked about his body of work in basketball. "I have so many fond memories. I'm so happy with all the experiences I had, and it's something that's carried over to this point in my life and made me the person I am."
Twenty years after Oscar Jackson was playing at Beaver Falls, Gabe Jackson was a two-sport star at New Brighton.
Nicknamed "Action Jackson," he pulled off a rare feat, receiving first-team all-state honors as a linebacker in football and a power forward basketball. As a 6-4 senior, he led the Lions' basketball team by averaging 30 points and 12 rebounds per game and was later named The Times' Boys Athlete of the Year.
After high school, he chose to continue his athletic career by playing basketball at Robert Morris. A three-year starter for the Colonials, he averaged 18.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a senior.
After graduating from RMU, Gabe played professionally overseas for five years in the British Basketball League and the Irish Basketball Association.
He's now a counselor at Gateway Rehabilitation Center and resides in Moon Township.
"One of the things I remember most about my high-school career was how competitive things were in Beaver County," Gabe said. "We had some great rivalries back then, and we got to play against some great athletes like (Blackhawk's) Dante Calabria and (Aliquippa's) Sean Gilbert and Myron Walker. That pushed me and made me a better player and propelled me to go on to play at the college and pro levels.
"Overall, I had a great career. I wouldn't change anything for the world."
The Pittsburgh Basketball Club ceremony, which starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at Chartiers Country Club, will be the third hall of fame inductions for Oscar Jackson and Gabe Jackson.
They're both in the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame. Oscar has also been inducted into the Larry Bruno Foundation Hall of Achievement at Beaver Falls, while Gabe has been inducted into the New Brighton Sports Hall of Fame.