Sad anniversary for Bo Jackson
by KenWo4LiFe on Jan 14, 2012 6:07 AM CST
in White Sox History
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PrintYesterday marked the 22nd anniversary of Bo Jackson's NFL career-ending hip injury. Bo Jackson is one of my favorite athletes of all time. He dominated everything a 10-year-old would care about. The Raiders became my football team because of Bo Jackson in Tecmo Super Bowl. One of my favorite baseball cards was the Bo Jackson Football/Baseball card that Score put out in 1990. He had the hottest shoes this side of Michael Jordan. Even when he struck out, it was exciting. Lets not forget his famous Nike ad campaign.
Jackson wasn't just hype, though. He produced. I could tell you what an amazing combination of strength and power he was, but my words wouldn't do him justice. Just take a look at some of his amazing runs for the Raiders. His 5.4 yards per carry is currently the third highest for a running back all-time. He also was a college football hero as he won the Heisman Trophy in 1985.
Bo was also very good on the baseball field. He started out a little raw, but was improving for the Royals each year up until his injury. His batting average, OPS and OPS+ went up every season he played in a Kansas City uniform. He also had the knack for the highlight reel. Here are some of his Royals highlights with stars from the era (including Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura) sharing stories about Jackson.
After Jackson's hip injury, the Royals cut him loose on March 18 thinking that his career would be over. On April 3, the White Sox decided to sign him. Jackson would make a heroic comeback on September 2nd and drove in a run against the Royals. On Sept. 17, Jackson hit his first Sox homer.
Jackson underwent hip replacement surgery and missed all of the 1992 season, but came back with a vengeance on opening day in 1993 when he took Neal Heaton deep on his first at bat. The second homer in that video was the dinger that Bo hit to help the White Sox clinch the A.L. West in 1993. Unfortunately, Jackson went 0-10 in the playoffs that season and signed with the Angels after the year. He played one season in Anaheim before he called it quits during the strike.
While Jackson ended up with a productive big league career (his top comp on Baseball-Reference.com is Carlos Quentin), you always have to wonder what would have been. If he didn't get injured 22 years ago, Jackson might have been the only player inducted into both the football and baseball halls of fame. The sad thing about it is we will never know.
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"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
I had that Nike shirt
from his comeback. The all black one Bo written in Sox font in the upper right corner just like the new (at the time) b+w uniforms. On the back it said “I’m back” in red with a light b+w image of him batting in the background. That shirt was so awesome. He was the best of that late 80’s early 90’s trend of football/baseball guys. Deion Sanders and Brian Jordan are all I can remember… was there anyone else?
Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969
Bo had the best peak, but Jordan had the better career.
Granted, Bo’s prolly would have turned out better if not for his hip.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
My 10-14 year old self was certain
that I was watching a HOF player IN BOTH LEAGUES. I also thought that Chris Sabo was the next great 3B and my Greg Jefferies rookie cards were how I was going to pay for college.
Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969
Oh Sabo
You could really lose yourself staring into those Rec Specs.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
I heard a story of Jeffries swinging a bat in a pool to get huge forearms so thats what I did
Hal Morris was another guy like that.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
So peeing while you swing...
creates giant forearms? Good to know
Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969
So, you equate pools with peeing.
Good to know.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
Yes
that’s why I don’t swim in pools. Or at all, really.
Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969
by zevsenesca on Jan 14, 2012 11:13 AM CST via Android app up reply actions
I refuse to swim in the community pool due to a bad fecal matter experience
White Sox 2012: Helplessly rebuilding?
how many times am i gonna have to apologize before you stop bringing that up?
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Jan 14, 2012 12:32 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs
haha each were pretty good for a little while at least.
Jeffries played through 2000. Sabo, meanwhile, made me sick to my stomach in 1995 as a member of the white sox.
If you would have asked me to pick a Reds player for the HOF back then… it would have been Eric Davis not Barry Larkin.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
That Score card (1990 #697)
Is still proudly encased in 2cm lucite in the Zev Senesca house. I don’t care that I can get them on Ebay now for $.99.
Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969
oh absolutely. one of my proudest moments in life
was getting mine autographed at soxfest.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
favorite Bo memory is him running through "the Boz" in the Kingdome on his way to a TD
White Sox 2012: Helplessly rebuilding?
we may never know,
but Bo does.
by South Side Expat on Jan 14, 2012 11:19 AM CST via Android app reply actions 5 recs
Happy Birthday!
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Thanks.
Chock full of excitement thus far- Got to get up and take the cat to the vet for bloodwork to get her teeth cleaned.
by South Side Expat on Jan 14, 2012 2:06 PM CST up reply actions
MrsDoc had put off a badly need hip replacement for years, until she saw Bo hit a dinger...
She said- if he can do it, then I can.
"His Load got Sloppy" Colintj
by DrEmilioLizardo on Jan 14, 2012 1:27 PM CST reply actions
we kind of do know.
the chance of jackson not getting injured was very small. it’s kind of a surprise he made it 4 seasons. running backs have the shortest average nfl careers for a reason. and now someone was going to try to do that with about a month and a half of an offseason? or play a seven month baseball season while getting the shit kicked out of them for most of that offseason? he could have been an all-time great but only by picking one or the other.
Agreed.
Hard to think he could keep that up long enough to be a HOF candidate in either, let alone both.
by Shoeless In SC on Jan 14, 2012 5:05 PM CST up reply actions
Watched the Royals highlights.
Who the hell is Greg Hibbard?
"That baseball is the smartest thing out on that field." —Hawk Harrelson
You're kidding right?
He was a serviceable lefthanded starter
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
LHP in the late 80-early 90's 14 W in 1990
"i'd like to see us draft an owner." Jim McMahon, 1986
"We had the 80's, and Michael had the 90's." Otis Wilson
"What did I do wrong? They won two championships in this town in 50 years. I played on one and coached the other one. I'll go somewhere and apologize, but you'll have to tell me where and who to." Mike Ditka, 2005
Favorite memories of Bo
First one is in the 93 home opener hitting a HR in his 1st at bat. Also will never forget the HR he hit to clinch the AL West against SEA that year, or his HR in the 89 All-Star Game.
"i'd like to see us draft an owner." Jim McMahon, 1986
"We had the 80's, and Michael had the 90's." Otis Wilson
"What did I do wrong? They won two championships in this town in 50 years. I played on one and coached the other one. I'll go somewhere and apologize, but you'll have to tell me where and who to." Mike Ditka, 2005
Bo
First Hibbard,scappy little bulldog.
Still have a 6 foot poster of Bo in the garage.Named my son Jackson.
Saw him down in Sarasota in spring training during his comeback.Hit a line drive so hard that it hit the wall in right center about 10 feet up and the whole way the ball was about 10 feet off the ground.It got there so fast that if you blinked you would of missed it.Dadgummit.
His bat speed in those videos is just sick
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
by colintj on Jan 14, 2012 3:13 PM CST via mobile reply actions
he is the example one should cite when asserting that bat speed is the most important thing to look for when scouting a hitter.
obviously, he is the freak. consider what he accomplished in baseball and how he accomplished it. he played baseball for auburn for three (non-continuous) seasons and, obviously unlike most other college players, he didn’t spend the baseball offseason focusing on baseball. because he got pissed off at the bucs, he decided to play pro baseball. he went directly to AA, where he didn’t just play but tore apart the southern league. he was then promoted to the majors, where he stayed.
the guy basically learned to play at the level of a major league baseball player while playing in the major leagues. that’s what is so ridiculous. his progression in four years, playing at the highest level while also playing football, is stunning.
by larry on Jan 15, 2012 11:23 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
Pinto linked to this at Baseball Musings
And included this comment.
I remember touring new Comiskey Park in the early 1990s, and we were told about the water tank that Bo used to rehabilitate his hip. He started running in the tank, with his body mostly submerged. As his hip improved, less water filled the tank, until Bo could support his own weight. It turned out to be a great tool for Chicago, as it cut down recovery time for other players with leg injuries.
You should really do something about our lack of followers.
The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.
Hey, that's on him. I gave him a pity follow, though.
He’s gotta pad his personal stats if he wants to reclaim his right field spot in 2012.
The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.
Hey, new catcher. Per MLBTR:
The White Sox have agreed to sign catcher Damaso Espino to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training, MLBTR has learned. The 28-year-old posted a .292/.347/.381 line in 224 plate appearances for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2011.
The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.
Much like people in masks
Guys named Damaso cannot be trusted.
It’s not robbing Peter to pay Paul — it’s bludgeoning Peter to death, and then realizing on the way back that you forgot to grab his wallet.
peavy attempting to work his way back into our good books.
“I would never quit on a team…Ozzie didn’t finish the season with us the last (two) games. So I don’t know who quit on who.”
http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/whitesox-talk/post/Peavy-Ozzie-quit-not-me?blockID=631392&feedID=621
p.s. playing arkham city until 4 in the morning ftw.
Should we expect this same piece next year with the exception of the changing of the date?
It’s a fine enough piece Ken, but celebrating the 22nd anniversary of a surgery for a player that only played on the team for a handful of seasons? I know he was one of your favorites, but this seems a bit of a stretch of relevance.
Next week should we expect 2,000 words on the day Damaso Marte got his braces off?
"I'm holding out hope Reinsdorf can somehow use his amnesty clause on Rios"
-Duck99
by Hazymania on Jan 15, 2012 5:16 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
well we were discussing him a tad the other day...
and i heard that it was the anniversary of his injury… and with the NFL playoffs going on, the Hall of Fame talk going on (in both MLB and NFL) and the fact that Bo has some of the coolest highlights of any player i figured it was plenty relevant.
And Damaso Marte never had an imperfection like crooked teeth.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
by KenWo4LiFe on Jan 15, 2012 9:51 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Cause everything around here is completely relevant.
by South Side Expat on Jan 15, 2012 11:46 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I'd like to see an article that statistically proves there are more numerous violent crimes or domestic abuse cases the further into the offseason and the closer to spring training it gets
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
let's see
january 20: ozzie guillen’s 48th birthday.
january 18: 39th anniversary of the signing of the first designated hitter (red sox and cepeda); 16th anniversary of the approval of interleague play.
january 16: jack mcdowell’s 46th birthday.
so much fodder.
Happy birthday Black Jack!
"I'm holding out hope Reinsdorf can somehow use his amnesty clause on Rios"
-Duck99
Damaso Marte
Nice smile but not a baseball face.
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