Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in 1927, Jim moved to Asheville at a young age. After stints in the military and at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Jenkins began pursing a pro baseball career in the Negro Leagues.
Three of his children, James "Jimmy" Jenkins Jr., Kenneth Jenkins, and Stanley Jenkins, spoke to ABC11 on Father's Day Weekend to honor their father as a pioneer and one of the earliest representatives of baseball for people of color in the state of North Carolina.
"Daddy has superior baseball skills. He could hit, he could run, he could catch; he was the perfect baseball player," said his son, Jimmy Jenkins. "He had one problem: He was too dark."
As a professional, Jenkins played for the New York Giants, Detroit Stars, and the Indianapolis Clowns. While in the Negro Leagues, Jenkins would befriend future Major League Baseball stars and celebrities such as Hank Aaron, Orlando Cepada, and Charley Pride.
"I remember one time, he might have hit two or three home runs, and I'm sitting there rooting for him, and some of the people around say 'you gonna play ball like your daddy?' and my little bird chest stuck out; yeah, I'm gonna do that," Kenny Jenkins recalled with a chuckle.
During the early integration of baseball, the cities weren't yet integrated. Many black baseball players would come to Asheville to get safe housing.
"Daddy was also, he was the community father," Jimmy Jenkins said.
Kenny Jenkins added, "If someone didn't have shoes, didn't have clothing, hungry, he would do all that he could to rectify those situations."
Jenkins would marry the former Roberta Workman, and have five children from this union: James Jr, Robert, Rhonda, Kenneth, and Stanley.
"The things that he had done and instilled in us will always be a part of my life," Stanley Jenkins said.
His impact went far beyond the baseball diamond.
"I feel proud to be his son," Jimmy Jenkins said. Not because he was a baseball player, but because he was a wonderful human being."
WATCH: Extended interview with the Jenkins brothers
Full interview: Jenkins brothers reflect on their dad, a former Negro League star