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I missed Bo Jackson's first major league home run, because I was in the commissary getting another load of Cokes to sell in the stands, but I'll never forgot the sound in Royals Stadium when he got his first outfield assist, versus the Twins on September 9, 1986, five days before the homer. Mickey Hatcher was at first base when Hrbek hit a single to right field, where Bo was playing. Hatcher tried to make it to third and as it became apparent that there might be a play, the Royals Stadium crowd roar was the usual sort, until fans started processing the throw that Jackson made. It was incredible. It seemed to me that when Hatcher was called out, there was a moment of silence in the stands as folks were still trying to register what they just saw, and then loud cheers. Ive been to hundreds of major league games and I don't remember any other moment where the crowd roar noticeably modulated like that due to dis-****in'-belief, and the thing is, that play doesn't even get talked about when folks talk about Bo's legend, because he did so many other incredible things in his career.
That guy did things that other players simply couldn't. There's a reason why his fellow players considered him a legend and so too do those of us lucky to have seen him play.
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