What are your memories of Bo Jackson with KC?

[Bufkin]

Just finished watching the Bo documentary (I know, I'm way late) and there was a lot of good Royals material on it. For those who were around for the Bo hysteria in KC, what are some good anecdotes? As a modern day sports fan, it would be like Jameis Winston passing up the NFL as the number 1 overall pick to play for a small marker baseball franchise.

I've got all kinds of KC Royals Bo memorabilia but unfortunately never got to enjoy him at the K.

[mr. tegu]

There was store front somewhere that slanted edges outside the building. I always pretended I was him and ran on them like it was the wall. The funny thing is I can't remember actually seeing him do that, but obviously I must have.

[DJJasonp]

Bo was the greatest athlete I will probably ever witness in my lifetime. That simple.

And Bo was the first (and probably last) KC athlete that transcended the KC market and went nationwide/global. (Defining "KC athlete" as someone we drafted/came up through our organization)

Brett was a god, but that was pre-ESPN 24/7 sports coverage. You had to watch this week in baseball to catch up on out-of-town stars (or the game of the week, which was rarely ever the royals).

And yeah, Montana.....but Montana, though a chief, was still associated as a Bay-area/49ers guy that we were just borrowing.

Some might say Tommy watson - but Golf doesnt really care where you're from (other than country).

Bo was larger than life.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

Bo was the greatest athlete I will probably ever witness in my lifetime. That simple.

And Bo was the first (and probably last) KC athlete that transcended the KC market and went nationwide/global. (Defining "KC athlete" as someone we drafted/came up through our organization)

Brett was a god, but that was pre-ESPN 24/7 sports coverage. You had to watch this week in baseball to catch up on out-of-town stars (or the game of the week, which was rarely ever the royals).

And yeah, Montana.....but Montana, though a chief, was still associated as a Bay-area/49ers guy that we were just borrowing.

Some might say Tommy watson - but Golf doesnt really care where you're from (other than country).

Bo was larger than life.

I was drunk as **** and sat next to Tom Watson at the Jackstack bar. Didnt know who he was til he got up and left everyone made a big deal.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

1. Throwing out Harold Reynolds from the fence.

This is always No. 1 for me. I still can't believe he did that.

Longest HR I ever saw hit in person at Royals Stadium was by Bo, in 1987 vs. the Mariners -- into the fountains in right-center field. It threw up a plume of water when it landed.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I got a press pass when I worked for a Radio Station in Columbia, and sat with the other sportswriters for a game with my friend Derrek. We took pads of paper and a tape recorder to look "reporter like" but we were there to watch Bo. He had a home plate collision with Rick Dempsey of the Orioles and just destroyed him. It proved to be the game winning run. In the locker room afterwards, Mark Gubicza was calling him "Robo Cop." Bo was a massive, massive human being. If he would have stayed with baseball only, he would have been a HOF player, no doubt about it.

Hes the best pure athlete ive ever seen. No hyperbole.

[Deberg_1990]

18 year old me was always confused when we played the Raiders and he suited up (he didnt join the Raiders until like week 6 or 7 for those 3 or 4 years)

I didnt know whether to root for him or not when he played against the Chiefs.

[DeepSouth]

His mom shortened his name to "Bo" so he could spell it. It was originally "Bob".
I remember his Royal teammates standing on the Raider sideline showing support for Bo. I wanted to puke.

[CoMoChief]

Didn't he hit one off the bottom of the Crown scoreboard?

[Spott]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Didn't he hit one off the bottom of the Crown scoreboard?

At the time, he hit what was the longest home run in Royals Stadium into left centerfield before they put a fountain on that side(it used to be all grass). Guessing it was between 475-500 feet.

[alpha_omega]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

1. Throwing out Harold Reynolds from the fence.
2. The All Star Game Bomb
3. Breaking the bat on his leg.
4. Scaling the wall on a running catch.

This. Except 4,2,1,3 in my memory.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

Bo was the greatest athlete I will probably ever witness in my lifetime. That simple.

And Bo was the first (and probably last) KC athlete that transcended the KC market and went nationwide/global. (Defining "KC athlete" as someone we drafted/came up through our organization)

Brett was a god, but that was pre-ESPN 24/7 sports coverage. You had to watch this week in baseball to catch up on out-of-town stars (or the game of the week, which was rarely ever the royals).

And yeah, Montana.....but Montana, though a chief, was still associated as a Bay-area/49ers guy that we were just borrowing.

Some might say Tommy watson - but Golf doesnt really care where you're from (other than country).

Bo was larger than life.

This is what I remember most.

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Hes the best pure athlete ive ever seen. No hyperbole.

Maybe that has lived in modern history. And he didn't even practice!

[srvy]

As a dirty radarrrrrr

[suzzer99]

I wish they had covered the 3-homer game in the documentary. Bo homered in his first 3 ABs. The third he basically just flicked the ball out over the short porch in Yankee's stadium.



Then he injured himself diving for a Deion Sanders line drive that no one else could have even dreamed of making a play on.



One of the craziest plays at the plate you will ever see.

Could Bo have hit 4 or 5 that day? Who knows but you have to think if anyone could ever hit 5 it would be him. That game was a perfect microcosm for his career. So frustrating.

[Rooster]

This baseball card was a big deal in my house growing up. I bet I still have some stashed away some place.

[Demonpenz]

Back in the day Tiger staduim had that overhang in right. He would just hit fly balls into the stands at that place. The home run in the all star game was the zenieth though.