Hampton Athletics Hall of Fame
A native of Newport News, Va., John “Buster” Jackson enrolled at Hampton Institute in 1978. Upon arriving on campus, he met with Dr. Walter Lovett, head football coach, and became a student manager for the football team.
In his role, he worked not only at home football games but traveled with the team to games on the road. The streak that began in 1978 continues to this day. In all, Jackson has attended 512 consecutive football games covering 46 seasons.
Following graduation from Hampton, Jackson was hired as the university’s full-time equipment manager for the department of athletics. Over the years, his title has changed as have his job responsibilities. As assistant director of athletics for facilities and equipment operations, Jackson can now be seen at virtually every home Hampton athletic event.
In 2024, he was honored by the Peninsula Sports Club with a 25-year Achievement Award for service to Peninsula area sports.
