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: 6. Bo Jackson’s Inside The Park Home Run
On May 31, 1990, the KC Royals played the defending World Champion Oakland A’s. At the time, the Royals and A’s were division rivals in the A.L. West, with the A’s winning the crown by 7 games over the Royals the previous season.
In the 4th inning of that game, Bo Jackson smacks a ball that hit the base of the right field wall in what was then called Royals Stadium. The ball shoots away from Oakland right fielder Jose Canseco (yeah, Mr. Juiced himself) while Bo circles the bases.
Inside the park home run!
This youtube video, however, adds even more fun to the story. The narrator, who said he was at the game, recounts that Canseco had taken an extra base on a single that Bo bobbled for a moment in left field in the top of the 4th inning. He looks at Bo with a “gotcha” look out toward left.
In the 6th, Bo Jackson comes up and hits his inside the park home run right at Canseco. Bo, after quipping up like a gymnast after sliding into the plate, looks out at Canseco with a GOT YOU stare.
The Royals, however, lost the game 6-4.
Despite the Royals 20-26 record which was WAY behind the 32-14 A’s, the Royals were expected to make a run at the division after owner Ewing Kauffman had opened his purse strings to sign free-agents Mark Davis, Storm Davis, and 1988 World Series hero and former league MVP Kirk Gibson. The Royals added these stars to a team that won 90 games in 1989.
The 1990 Royals not only had the biggest payroll in MLB at $20 million, they were the first team in history to open with BOTH Cy Young award winners from the previous season on the same roster (Mark Davis, Bret Saberhagen).
Unfortunately, that team suffered injuries and was a complete flop. The Kansas City Royals won only 75 games in 1990 and finished in 6th place.
Next: July 10, 1988