Former All-Star left fielder Bo Jackson will be inducted into Royals Hall of Fame
Bo Jackson, the former All-Star left fielder, will enter the second Hall of Fame of his career when the Kansas City Royals induct him June 29.
The Royals announced the news Wednesday and said the ceremony will take place ahead of Kansas City's game against the Cleveland Guardians that Saturday.
The Royals Hall of Fame Executive Board placed Jackson on the ballot for consideration, and a 16-member voting committee approved his election via the Royals Hall of Fame Veterans Committee voting process.
That avenue specifically considers non-field personnel and those who aren't eligible through the Regular Phase Royals Hall of Fame Voting. In order for Jackson to make the cut, he needed to be on a minimum of 75% of the ballots cast.
“I’m so happy for my friend Bobo to get that call,” George Brett, a Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star, said in a news release. “He was a great teammate and probably the most exciting player I ever played with. You’d see things that no other human could do on a baseball field or a football field. He’s one of the greatest athletes of our time, and it’s an honor to welcome him to the Royals Hall of Fame, where he belongs.”
Bo is headed to the Hall!
Congratulations to Bo Jackson on his election to the Royals Hall of Fame! pic.twitter.com/Lp2Qn9G8Ek— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) March 13, 2024
After being drafted in the fourth round of the 1986 MLB Draft, Jackson played five of his eight seasons in the league with Kansas City.
He made a lasting impression with his incredible athleticism, which included scaling a wall to track down a fly ball, using his arm to regularly throw out runners and hitting home runs into the next century with his powerful swing. Occasionally, if he became frustrated enough, he broke bats over his knee with little resistance.
Jackson put on a show throughout his career. He made his debut Sept. 2, 1986, and 12 days later hit his first home run. At the time, the 475-foot moon shot was the longest ever hit at Royals Stadium.
In 1989, Jackson received his first All-Star nod. He hit a home run in his first at-bat of the All-Star Game and was named All-Star MVP. That year, he finished the season as the Royals' home run leader, with a career-high 32 home runs. He then went back-to-back seasons leading Kansas City in homers, hitting 28 in 1990.
The Auburn running back and College Football Hall of Famer played with the Royals until 1990, then spent two seasons with the Chicago White Sox in 1991 and 1993 before finishing his baseball career with the then California Angels in 1994.
His athletic career was never quite the same after he suffered a dislocated hip in 1990 during his fourth season with the NFL's Raiders.
