KC Royals: Bo Jackson Ten Best Plays As A Royal (Video)
By John Viril
Bo Jackson’s best play’s as a Kansas City Royal player: 2. Bo’s First Major-League Home Run
Bo Jackson shocked the sports world in June of 1986 by choosing to sign with the Kansas City Royals rather than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were prepared to shower the biggest contract in NFL history on the guy they picked no. 1 overall in the NFL draft.
What most people did not know, is that the Bucs had flown Bo to Tampa on owner Hugh Culverhouse’s private jet to meet with the team before the draft. Bo, however, was concerned about his NCAA eligibility, because the NCAA had some truly Byzantine rules about amateur status.
Bucs officials assured him they had checked with the NCAA, who told them it was ok. So, Bo gets on the plane to Tampa.
Except the Buccaneers lied.
No one had checked with the NCAA, and shortly thereafter, the NCAA disqualified his collegiate eligibility, ruining what was a fabulous college baseball season.
Bo exploded. He told the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that they could draft him if they wanted, but he wouldn’t play for them under any circumstances. He believed that Tampa Bay had deliberately set him up to violate NCAA rules because they feared he might play baseball.
Tampa Bay made Bo Jackson the no.1 overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft.
Whatever the truth might be, doesn’t really matter. Bo believed it. And it made him put in a call to the defending World Series Champion Kansas City Royals, telling them he wanted to play for the team.
So the KC Royals took him in the 4th round of the 1986 draft, because no one really believed he would pick baseball over football.
So Bo signs with the Kansas City Royals June 29, 1986 and heads for AA Memphis to begin his baseball career. However, many people thought it was a joke. That Bo was simply avoiding playing for the moribund Bucs. After piddling around in baseball, everyone expected he’d get serious and play in the NFL.
All of that formed a long prologue to Bo’s first major league home run.
See, the Royals brought Bo Jackson to Kansas City in a September call-up. The team had disappointed their fans with a 68-75 record after their 1985 title, but showcasing the rookie football legend in a Royals uniform relieved some of the sting.
On September 14, 1986 Bo blasts his first major league home run off Seattle starter Mike Moore.
However, if you’re Bo Jackson, not just any old home run will do. No.
Bo instead launches the LONGEST HOME RUN IN ROYALS HISTORY.
The majestic tape-measure shot flies 475 feet into the high embankment that used to reside behind the left-center wall before the 2010 renovation.
Not only is that blow still the longest home run hit in Kauffman Stadium, it also made the entire sports world realize Bo was serious about baseball.
No one, by the way, remembers that the Royals lost the game 10-3.
Next: June 5, 1989