My Five Favorite: Bo Jackson Baseball Cards
Baseball, football, the Auburn Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Raiders… archery, for all the aforementioned reasons or however Bo Jackson entered your sports fandom, unlike others that come and go, the master of all hobbies sticks with you. A career in full athletic peak was cut short due to injury in 1990 while playing with the Raiders, but before the freak hip injury suffered against the Cincinnati Bengals happened, Jackson was poised to take over Major League Baseball and the National Football League. Thanks to the amazing athletic feats and wildly successful Nike marketing campaigns, a couple of generations have Mr. Jackson permanently imprinted in the brain.
We get to know Bo in my five favorite Bo Jackson baseball cards.
Mr. Jackson’s Background
Growing up in McCalla, Ala., Jackson was a do-all athlete. As a senior, he rushed for 1,175 yards off 108 carries with 17 trips into the end zone, played defense, and was the kicker for the Yellow Jacket. During his junior and senior seasons, Jackson won two state decathlon championships in track and field setting the indoor high jump record at 6 feet, 9 inches, and in the triple jump at 48 feet, 8 inches. He also laid down a 10.44 in the 100.
Oh, he slugged 20 homers in 25 games his senior season becoming the 50th overall pick in the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Yankees… but life as a student-athlete at Auburn was calling.
On the football side of his college career, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy in 1985 after rushing for 1,786 yards with 17 touchdowns. As a freshman and sophomore, Jackson qualified for the NCAA Nationals in the 100-meters posting a career-best 10.39.
Due to injury (1984) and questionable tactics by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1986), Jackson got one full season of college baseball in the books batting .401 in 42 games with 59 hits in 147 at-bats slugging 17 dingers, six triples, and five doubles in 1985. Oddly enough, Jackson was caught stealing three times in college but swiped 19 career bases.
Turning Pro
In 1986, Jackson was drafted a second time by an MLB team, selected in the fourth round, 105th overall, by the Kansas City Royals. The Royals held Jackson at Double-A for 53 games calling him up from the Memphis Chicks for his MLB debut on Sept. 2 vs. the Chicago White Sox.
Jackson played in 25 games during the 1986 season struggling at the plate. From ’86 to 1990, in each season Jackson improved his batting average and got better with his plate discipline notching more bases on balls.
The Ultimate Showcase
The 1989 All-Star Game would cement Jackson’s place in baseball folklore. Getting the job done defensively, in his first plate appearance, Jackson led off the game for the American League taking a Rick Reuschel delivery 448-feet the other way. Jackson ended the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base earning MVP honors.
Jackson was just the second person in MLB history to hit a homer and steal a base in the All-Star Game aligning himself with Willie Mays. The 1989 season ended with Jackson hitting .256 with 32 homers, 105 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases.
What Could Have Been
In 1990, Jackson’s last full MLB season, he hit .272 in 111 games with 28 home runs and 78 RBIs.
Cut by the Royals after his injury, Jackson signed with the White Sox for three years playing in 1991, 23 games, and in 1993, 85 games. The California Angles signed him in 1994 on a one-year deal with Bo retiring at the age of 32 when the strike-shortened season came to an end.
*For pricing on all Bo Jackson cards, baseball and football, source with the Beckett Online Price Guide.
MY FIVE FAVORITE BO JACKSON CARDS
1986 Topps Traded #50T Bo Jackson XRC
Raw Values NM to Mint: $15-37.50
*Tiffany Version: $240-600
1987 Donruss #35 Bo Jackson RC
*Same card available in Leaf
Raw Values NM to Mint: $15-37.50
1987 Topps #170 Bo Jackson RC
Raw Values NM to Mint: $9-22.50
*Tiffany Version: $24-60
1989 Donruss Baseball’s Best #169 Bo Jackson
Raw Values NM to Mint: Under $1
*Base: 1989 Donruss #208 Bo Jackson
1990 Donruss Previews #3 Bo Jackson
Raw Values NM to Mint: $20-50
* 1990 Donruss Aqueous Test #BC1 Bo Jackson MVP: $25-62.50
* 1990 Donruss Aqueous Test #1 Bo Jackson DK: $25-62.50
BONUS PICKS
1990 Classic Update #T26 Nolan Ryan/Nolan Knows Bo
1991 Score #412 Bo Jackson RIF
1995 Collector’s Choice SE Silver Signature #36 Bo Jackson
