Referee: Thomas Jackson

Official’s Name: Thomas Jackson
Birthday: 11/29/42
Death Date: 9/3/01
Hometown: Corinth, MS
Marital Status: Married
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 259
Job(s) in MVW: Referee
Relations: None
Image: Bobby Eaton

His/Her Story:

Thomas was born on November 29, 1942 to Eric and Wanda Jackson in Corinth, MS. Thomas is their only child. The Jackson’s lost two other children—an older son and a younger daughter—to childhood illnesses. Jackson lived his entire life in Corinth, MS. He played point guard for Corinth High School (1957-59), Northeast Mississippi Community College (1959-1961) and University of Mississippi (1962-63).

Thomas graduated with a B.S. in Journalism in 1963. He began working for the Daily Corinthian shortly after graduation. He worked there for twenty-seven years. He retired on December 31, 2000 from his position as newspaper editor. His contact with the MVW began when he started covering Arnold’s attempts to begin the MVW in Tupelo, Corinth, Holly Springs and Oxford. During an interview for one of the newspaper articles, Thomas said that if the organization got off the ground he’d enjoy being a part of it.

Having let himself go from his once athletic form, Thomas said that he’d be a referee or ring announcer. Arnold had already promised the ring announcer position to Michael Littleton. He told Thomas that he could be a referee if he were still able to take a few bumps and bruises in the matches. Thomas agreed and he began to have a decent career as a wrestling referee. He retired from the ring on August 1, 1999 after Mr. Tennessee II successfully defended his Tennessee Heavyweight Title in a cage match against Phantom. During the match both heels brutalized each other and the referee with the steel cage.

Just over a year after leaving the MVW, Thomas was diagnosed with lung cancer. The diagnosis really wasn’t a surprise to anyone who had ever been around Thomas because he smoked two packs a day. Thomas died at home on September 3, 2001, surrounded by his wife and four kids.