There they were, bigger than life. More colorful in their sequined costumes than a fireworks display and twice as explosive.

The Jackson 5 in concert, singing and dancing and inciting gleeful pandemonium among audiences across the globe.

While most fans savored the excitement of the Jacksons' nifty dance moves and their Motown sound, brothers Taj, Taryll and T.J. committed it all to memory--every step, slide and musical note.

"We'd go home the same night and we would replay the whole concert, switching off parts and stuff," Taj said.

Adoring fans in living rooms across the country have been emulating the steps and sounds of the Jackson 5 since the group burst into popular culture in the early 1970s. Until the group's breakup in the mid-'80s, Taj, Taryll and T.J. Jackson were among those imitating art.

But, unlike other fans, they were privy to private lessons from the famous quintet. They are the sons of Tito--the second oldest of the original Jackson 5--and Dee Dee Jackson.

Their names alone beg for marquee lights, and their boyish good looks, pleasant dispositions and ability to carry a tune would seem to make them highly marketable--especially among teen-age listeners.

So with uncle Michael Jackson serving as their No. 1 mentor, how come they aren't as popular as say, Boyz II Men or New Kids on the Block?

Because unlike their famous uncles, the Jackson trio's biggest hits have come on a baseball field, while their music careers are, well, on deck--which is just how Dee Dee Jackson wanted it.

From T-ball to Little League to varsity baseball at Buckley High, the Jacksons have continued to flourish in one of America's favorite pastimes.

Dee Dee, who met Tito when they were sophomores at Fairfax High and married him two years later, assumed her sons would gravitate toward the music industry. And they did throughout their youth. But, Dee Dee wanted her children to experience a typical American childhood. Baseball helped achieve the goal.

"I wanted to keep them busy, keep them active," Dee Dee said. "I wanted them to understand what it's like to play with other kids and how to work with other people."

Tito and Dee Dee, who separated three years ago and divorced in 1992, always have been active in their sons' baseball careers. Tito coached and Dee Dee, who also coached one season, is the quintessential team mother.