Bo Jackson, the former All-Star left fielder, will enter the second Hall of Fame of his career when the Kansas City Royals immortalize him on June 29.
The Royals announced the news on Wednesday and that the ceremony will take place ahead of Kansas City’s game versus the Cleveland Guardians that Saturday.
The Royals Hall of Fame Executive Board placed Jackson on the ballot for consideration, and a 16-member voting committee approved Jackson’s election via the Royals Hall of Fame Veterans Committee voting process.
That avenue specifically considers non-field personnel and those who aren’t eligible through the Regular Phase Royals Hall of Fame Voting. In order for Jackson to make the cut, he needed to be on a minimum of 75 percent of the ballots cast for election.
“I’m so happy for my friend Bobo to get that call” George Brett, a Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star, said in the press release. “He was a great teammate and probably the most exciting player I ever played with. You’d see things that no other human could do on a baseball field or a football field. He’s one of the greatest athletes of our time, and it’s an honor to welcome him to the Royals Hall of Fame, where he belongs.”
After being drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 MLB Draft, Jackson proceeded to play five of his eight seasons in the league with Kansas City.
There, he made a lasting impression with his incredible athleticism, which included scaling a wall to track down a fly ball, using his arm strength to regularly throw out runners and hitting home runs into the next century with his powerful swing. And occasionally, if he became frustrated enough, easily breaking bats over his thigh with little resistance.
Jackson put on a show throughout his career. He made his debut appearance on Sept. 2, 1986 and 12 days later recorded his first home run on Sept. 14, 1986. At the time, the 475-foot moonshot was the longest ever hit at Royals Stadium.
It all culminated with a 1989 All-Star nod. Not only did Jackson kick things off with a leadoff homer, but finished the game earning the Most Valuable Player award.
That year, Jackson finished the season as the Royals’ home-run leader — he hit a career-high 32 home runs — and 105 RBI. He went back-to-back seasons leading Kansas City in home runs, hitting 28 in 1990.
The Auburn running back and College Football Hall of Famer played with the Royals until 1990, then spent two seasons with the Chicago White Sox in 1991 and 1993 and finished his baseball career in 1994 with the California Angels.
His athletic career was never quite the same after he suffered a dislocated hip in 1990 during his fourth season with the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League.
