The following year, he appeared in 52 games for the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League and compiled a 31–15 record with a 1.44 earned run average (ERA).

[1] Lively began playing professional baseball in 1906 for the Gulfport team in the Cotton States League.

He was sold in late August to the Montgomery Climbers of the Southern Association and pitched a three-hit shutout in his first game for the club.

The only Little Rock batter to reach first base did so on an error when the center fielder dropped a fly ball.

The batter, who times his movement, takes a step forward but Lively hesitates just a moment and then lets the ball come with the result that the batsman is taken off his stride and either fans the pellet or doesn't strike at it at all.

[8] He made his major league debut on April 16, and pitched a complete game victory over Cleveland, allowing seven hits and two runs in nine innings.

Batchelor wrote that Lively used his spitball extensively: "There was no mistaking Jack's spitter, for when the batsmen connected with it the spray could be felt in the grandstand.

Batchelor wrote in March 1912: "In his year of service with the Jungle band, Jack probably furnished as much fun and was the butt of as many amusing stories as anyone who ever wore Detroit livery.

[2] After his baseball career ended, Lively worked for the American Cast Iron Pipe Company in Birmingham, Alabama.