Alumni Spotlight: Jeff Jacobson
2/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jeff Jacobson (1980-83) was an All-America second baseman for the Michigan baseball team, making three trips (1980, '81 and '83) to the College World Series, including a third-place finish his senior season. Jacobson was an All-Big Ten selection in 1982 and earned second team All-America honors by both the ABCA and Baseball America that same season. He is fourth on Michigan's career games played list (221) and 13th all-time in runs batted in (137). After a three-year career in professional baseball, Jacobson started a career in real estate. He now works for MJ Partners Real Estate Services in Chicago and his son, Eric, is about to start his senior season with the Maize and Blue. Recently, MGoBlue.com asked Jeff about his Michigan baseball memories, Barry Larkin's freshman season and watching his son play on the same field as he did in college.
Q. You played in professional baseball for three seasons after your senior year at Michigan. When did you get into the business world and how did the Michigan degree help in that?
A. The Michigan degree was a critical component in my decision to leave baseball after three seasons in the minor leagues. The reputation of the Michigan business school provided tremendous opportunities from a wide range of businesses interested in hiring me. There comes a time for most professional players to make a choice between chasing the dream of playing in the big leagues or starting a career that may be more beneficial in the long term. I made the choice in 1986 to pursue a career in real estate.
Q. What was your favorite memory of playing baseball for Michigan? Describe what it was like to play in Omaha and in the College World Series.
A. There was nothing greater than singing "Hail to the Victors" at the top of our lungs in front of sold-out Ray Fisher Stadium crowds after clinching Big Ten and Regional championships in '80, '81 and '83. I flashback to those moments every time I hear the song. Omaha is the perfect place to host the College World Series. The people, events and enthusiasm exhibited by the people of Omaha makes it a special place for the players. We had a chip on our shoulders and took tremendous pride in representing all the cold weather schools that the national media and coaches underestimated. We expected to compete and win. By my third trip to Omaha, most writers and coaches picked us to win the national championship. We sent a lot of southern and west coast teams home early.
Q. How did your experience playing baseball at Michigan shape your life?
A. My experience with the Michigan baseball program had a profound impact on my life. It helped shape all of the traits that participating in athletics emphasizes: work ethic, competitiveness, handling success and failure, team work and mental toughness. Most important, it helped develop an inner confidence and a belief that you can achieve great things through hard work, perseverance and discipline.
Q. Do you still keep in touch with any of your former teammates?
A. The value of the program is the lifelong relationships that you develop with your teammates and others in the Michigan baseball family. My former teammates are like family. We have a tremendous network of players from the early 1980s that keep in continuous touch. Fred Erdmann, Dan Sygar, Ken Hayward, Chris Sabo, Derek Kerr, Chris Gust, Rich Bair, Casey Close, Barry Larkin, George Foussianes, CJ Beshke, Mike Ignasiak, Kurt Zimmerman, Eric Sanders, Chuck Froning, Buddy Dodge, Jeff Minick, Scott Kamieniecki, Dave Stober, Dan Disher, Mike Waters, Jim Price, Dane Wysocki, Paul Wenson and Bill Shuta to name a few.
Q. You overlapped with Barry Larkin for one year, forming a double-play combination up the middle. How good was Barry when he stepped foot in Ann Arbor and what help did you give your infield partner that season?
A. Barry was an All-American\ two-sport athlete coming out of Moeller High School in Cincinnati. It was the first time that Barry was able to concentrate on one sport. Barry, like others in his freshman class, put aside his ego, respected the upperclassmen and bought into the concepts and ideals that coaches Bud Middaugh and Danny Hall taught. While he possessed incredible natural ability, his baseball acumen from fall practice to the spring season increased exponentially. I attribute his early development to his mature approach and desire to improve every day. He's carried that approach into his Hall of Fame baseball career and success at ESPN.
Q. How proud were you when your son, Eric, committed to the University of Michigan and the baseball program?
A. Eric narrowed his recruiting down to four schools (Yale, Dartmouth, Georgetown and Michigan). My wife, Donna, and I took a neutral stance on each visit because we didn't want our opinions or biases to impact his decision. We wanted him to weigh the academic/athletic benefits for each opportunity. Michigan was the last visit. After an incredible recruiting visit to Ann Arbor, Donna and I kept quiet in the four-hour car ride back to Chicago. Again, we tried, though bursting inside, to take a neutral stance. A day or two later, Eric walked into my office wearing a Michigan hat and announced that he was joining the Michigan baseball family. Many tears of joy were shed in the Jacobson household.
Q. What has your experience been like watching Eric excel here in the perspective of both a father and a former student-athlete?
A. I am incredibly proud of Eric and his development into a mature and confident student-athlete. He worked hard to earn the respect and confidence of his teammates, classmates and coaches. He gained the ability to work through adversity and have a positive impact on those around him. He developed an inner confidence that prepares him for his post-graduate years. He established himself as a team-first player and a top-rate student. Having "Michigan" embroidered across his uniform means the world to him. He will be a great ambassador for the program for years to come. Donna and I have enjoyed the ride.
Q. What advice would you give Eric, who is about to enter his senior season in the classroom and on the field?
A. A student-athlete spends four years of their lives focused on practice, games and the classroom. Take a moment from your busy schedule to step back and enjoy the moments. Enjoy your teammates and classmates. Reflect on what it means to be a Michigan student-athlete. Focus on bringing energy and enthusiasm to Team 149 this spring. Prepare yourself to make a "Michigan Difference" in the world.
The recently created Office of Alumni Engagement strives to foster a community, recognize the holistic student-athlete and honor the great Michigan Athletics history. This alumni spotlight illustrates the impact that our alumni are having around the world and how they stay engaged with Michigan.
