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SL1 Jackson Generals

Bo Jackson Chosen as Franchise's First Southern League Hall of Fame Inductee

May 20, 2014 - Southern League (SL1)
Jackson Generals News Release


JACKSON, TENN - The Jackson Generals are proud to announce their inaugural inductee, Bo Jackson into the Southern League Hall of Fame. Jackson played for the franchise in 1986 as a member of the Memphis Chicks. The Southern League Hall of Fame shares its inaugural year with the 2014 season commemorating the 50th anniversary of the "modern era" of the League which began in 1964.

Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson grew up in Bessemer, Ala. He excelled in several sports in high school and turned down an opportunity to play for the New York Yankees so he could get a college degree at Auburn University.

Jackson was a two sport star for the Tigers where he won the 1985 Heisman Trophy. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but due to a disagreement he had with then owner Hugh Culverhouse, Jackson declined the offer from the Buccaneers and signed later that June with the Kansas City Royals. The Royals drafted him in the fourth round of the 1986 draft and sent Jackson to their Double-A affiliate, the Memphis Chicks.

While in Memphis Jackson hit .277 with seven home runs. He walked 22 times but struck out 81 times in 184 at bats. Strikeouts plagued Jackson's baseball career, but his sheer physical talents warranted a quick trip through the minor leagues.

Jackson went from college, to Double-A, to the Majors in just a few months, as we was called up to the Kansas City Royals late in the 1986 season. In 25 games that season he hit .207 with two homers, and nine RBI. He made the big league club out of Spring Training in 1987 and hit .235 with 22 home runs and 53 RBI in his first full big league season.

1989 was Jackson's best season. He played 135 games, hit 32 home runs, drove in 105 runs (all career highs) and batted .256 while leading the Royals to 92 wins, second most in franchise history. Jackson was also voted to start the All-Star Game in Anaheim that season. He led off the bottom of the first with a towering 448-foot home run, prompting broadcaster Vin Scully to shout "Look at that one! Bo Jackson says hello!"

Jackson also became the second player in history to hit a home run and steal a base in the same All-Star Game after stealing second base in the second inning. The only other player to do that was Hall of Famer Willie Mays. His play helped Jackson earn the MVP of the All-Star Game in a 5-3 American League victory.

Earlier that season in June, Jackson made a legendary play against the Seattle Mariners. With one out and the game tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the tenth speedy Harold Reynolds was on first (Reynolds has 250 career stolen bases). Scott Bradley hit a ball in the gap that would have scored Reynolds easily from first against most outfielders. However, Jackson barehanded the ball from the warning track and threw Reynolds out at home on the fly. The Royals ended up winning the game in 13 innings.

Jackson also became the first athlete to play in the Major Leagues and the NFL in the same year. After not signing the Buccaneers, Jackson went back into the draft in 1987. He was picked in the seventh round by Al Davis, owner of the Los Angeles Raiders. In Week 7 of 1987, Jackson made history as he made his NFL debut against the New England Patriots.

His most memorable performance was against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. Jackson rushed for a 91-yard touchdown in the second quarter and scored another touchdown while running over Brian Bosworth. Bosworth, another highly touted draft pick, had promised that he could contain Jackson.

In 1990 Jackson made history again as he was selected to the Pro Bowl, becoming the only player ever to be selected to the Pro Bowl and MLB All-Star Game.

His football and baseball careers were both cut short due to a hip injury suffered in an NFL playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 1991.

In just eight seasons in the majors, Jackson hit .250, with 141 home runs and 415 RBI. He stole 82 bases, doubled 86 times, tripled 14 times, but struck out a whapping 841 times. His career on base percentage was .309, and he slugged .474.

Jackson was one of the best players of all time, and who knows what his career might have been had it not been for injuries.

Team Inductee

Birmingham Barons Reggie Jackson

Chattanooga Lookouts J. Frank Burke

Huntsville Stars Rosemary Havatter

Jackson Generals Bo Jackson

Jacksonville Suns Peter Bragan Sr.

Mississippi Braves Dale Murphy

Mobile BayBears Mike Darr

Montgomery Biscuits Alan Trammel

Pensacola Blue Wahoos Tim Wakefield

Tennessee Smokies Ryne Sandberg

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