ST. LOUIS – Jackie Smith, a former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the St. Louis Football Cardinals, will be honored Friday, July 26 during a St Louis Cardinals vs. the Washington Nationals 7:15 p.m. game at Busch Stadium. Military Appreciation Night Honoring Jackie Smith will pay tribute to the NFL Hall of Famer’s remarkable football achievements as well as his dedication to and support of the Missouri’s National Veteran’s Memorial in Perryville, MO. Special discounted $24 tickets are available now at: https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/tickets/specials/jackie-smith, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Wake Foundation, a Missouri-based non-profit organization established by veterans for veterans.
Jackie Smith, a 6 ft., 4 inch, 235-pound tight end, was a fixture for 15 years with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1963 to 1977. He finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 1978. At the time of his retirement, he ranked as the all-time receiver among tight ends with 480 receptions for 7,918 yards and 40 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 1994 where his 16.5 yards per catch average remains the highest among all tight ends in the Hall of Fame.
Among the other achievements for which Jackie will be honored on July 26th include his support of military veterans. Plans starting coming together in 2016 to realize Vietnam veteran Jim Eddleman’s vision and promise to build a memorial to fallen heroes who didn’t return home from the conflict.
Located in the heartland of America, today the Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial in Perryville, MO is a place where veterans’ sacrifices are acknowledged and appreciated, creating a place where they can find peace.
Jim Eddleman and Jackie Smith at the memorial wall in Perryville.
The MNVM is an exact replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. with nearly 60,000 names carved into its granite walls. The 46-acre site also has a Welcome Center; The Honor Flag Memorial, a large, concave structure, stretching 49 feet along the Welcome Center’s western edge; and the James M. Eddleman Military Museum. For information on MNVM, visit: https://mnvmfund.org.
Since the beginning, Jackie Smith has been one of MNVM’s most ardent supporters – fundraising, drawing in national and regional sponsors and donors, making special appearances, signing autographs, and lending his voice to color guard ceremonies and other events honoring active duty and military veterans. Commenting on the Memorial, Smith said, “I am completely humbled and honored to be involved with MNVM in this most significant tribute to our fighting men and women. I am blessed to have an opportunity to show my utmost respect for those who have served and continue to serve this great nation. This memorial is built for the people by the people.”
For more information on Military Appreciation Night Honoring Jackie Smith contact Angela Swan at Robinson Construction at ASwan@rcco.com.
To purchase group tickets (over 20), contact Matt Zurheide at MZurheide@cardinals.com.
Special t-shirts for the evening are available for purchase at: https://militaryappreciationshop.us
AGCMO, the largest construction organization in the state representing building, highway, transportation, and utility infrastructure contractors, iindustry partners and related firms, is proud to partner with the Missouri Veterans National Memorial on this celebratory event. The association has 525-plus members located in 110 counties across the state, including Robinson Construction, builder and supporter of the MNVM. For more information, visit www.agcmo.org