[1] Parkinson earned four varsity letters as a member of the Kentucky men's basketball team in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

[1] Kentucky would go on to win the SEC regular season and tournament as well as the 1948 NCAA Championship, but Parkinson's role in the success was greatly reduced from two years prior.

Despite this, he would end his career with a distinguished collection of championships and accolades, including:[1][3][4] Jack Parkinson was selected in the 1949 BAA Draft by the Washington Capitols.

[2] In addition to his brief NBA career, he also played with the Whiskered Wizards basketball team of St. Augustine, Florida, and with the Toledo Mercurys, who traveled with the Harlem Globetrotters.

[1] His son, Bruce G. Parkinson, was an All-American as a player at Purdue and still holds the school's record for career assists (690).

Bruce led the Boilermakers to the 1974 NIT Championship and was the Captain of the 1975 Pan-Am Gold Medal Men's Basketball Team.

His grandson, Austin Parkinson, is the current head coach of the women's basketball team at Butler University.