Bo Jackson's first career homer was one of the longest in Kauffman Stadium history
Football and baseball. Few athletes have successfully crossed the dual-sport threshold as confidently and as impressively as Bo Jackson.
For years, the man did things on the football field that inspired awe, his intimidating physical presence making him a force to be reckoned with.
After spurning the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jackson tore through the Royals' organization, and it all led up to the events of Sept. 14, 1986, when a then 23-year-old Bo stepped up and announced his arrival as only he could: With a mammoth 475-foot home run -- one of the longest homers ever hit at Kauffman Stadium. Only
#BoKnowsPower, even as a fresh-faced rookie:
You know the rest. After his initial cup of coffee with the Royals in 1986, Jackson became a fixture in the lineup through the '89 season, when he hit 32 homers, 105 RBIs and a .256/.310/.495 line in 135 games -- and left Vin Scully and Ronald Reagan speechless in his first and only All-Star Game appearance:
He also made plays like this:
Of course, on top of all that, Jackson also played in the NFL concurrent with his baseball career, allowing him to suit up for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1987 and eventually make his only Pro Bowl in '90 -- cementing his place in history as the only two-sport star to play in both sports' All-Star Game activities.
Good work, Bo.
