In a move that was probably long overdue, the Kansas City Royals announced today that they have elected Bo Jackson into their Hall of Fame. He will be inducted during a ceremony on June 29th of this season. The leftfielder was drafted by the Royals in the 4th round of the 1986 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Auburn University.
It did not take long for Bo to make his presence felt in the major leagues, notching 22 HRs in 1987. His combination of power, speed, and arm strength made him a sight to behold. Who can forget his absolute laser of a throw from the warning track in leftfield that gunned down the baserunner at the plate? Or who could forget his home run to lead off the 1989 MLB All-Star game, a game in which he went on to win All-Star Game MVP honors? Bo knew how to make even the most impressive athletic feats look effortless, making us all believe we could scale the centerfield wall if we just tried hard enough.
An all-time great all around athlete
On top of his baseball success, Bo had plenty of success on the football field as well. He finished 2nd in AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 1987 and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 1990. You cannot talk about Bo without wondering where his NFL career would have ended up if he had not suffered a devastating hip injury in 1991. Though it ended his NFL career, he was able to recover enough to play two more MLB seasons and was even voted AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1993 for the Chicago White Sox.
We may never see another all-around athlete like Bo Jackson in our lifetime. His ability to be incredibly successful in two completely different sports is arguably unmatched. We were blessed enough to be able to see him donning a Royals’ uniform, even if we had to shield our eyes from the black and silver he wore during the MLB off-season. Thank you for all the memories, Bo, and congratulations on an honor well deserved!
Kansas City Royals Career Stats
511 Games: .250 avg, .308 OBP, .480 SLG, .787 OPS, 115 OPS+, 109 HR, 313 RBI, 81 SB