A two sport star with the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Raiders, Bo Jackson was at the height of his popularity in 1991. On this day, it all came crashing down, as Jackson suffered a serious hip injury.
There was seemingly nothing that Bo Jackson could not do. A star with the Kansas City Royals and the Oakland Raiders, Jackson was seen as the best pure athlete around. Virtually every time he stepped on the field, he would do something that no one had seen before. His punishing touchdown runs, thunderous homers, and uncanny ability to gun down baserunners from the warning track were commonplace.
Heading into 1991, Jackson was at the height of his popularity. The memorable “Bo Knows” advertisement was everywhere, helping Jackson become a nationwide celebrity. And then, on this day in 1991, it all came to an end.
In a playoff game for the Raiders against the Cincinnati Bengals (don’t laugh – there was a time when both teams were good at the same time), Jackson was tackled at the end of a 34 yard run. The tackle, while seemingly routine, caused Jackson to have to leave the game. Initially, his injury was thought to be nothing more than a pulled thigh muscle, but later it was discovered that Jackson had dislocated his hip.
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According to Jackson, he had physically put his hip back into place himself. Regardless of what happened, it was discovered when he headed to Spring Training that year that not only did he damage one of his hip bones, but that the blood vessels to the area were damaged as well. Within a month of the injury, he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis in the joint, and all the cartilage supporting the hip was gone.
Jackson’s football career was over, and it appeared as though his baseball career may be as well. The Royals released him, fearing that he would not be able to play again. He signed with the White Sox, and actually returned for 23 games, hitting three home runs and four doubles that year.
However, Jackson’s hip problems were not over. He missed the entire 1992 season due to hip replacement surgery, but came back in 1993. That season, he had a .232/.289/.433 batting line, hitting 16 home runs as he earned the Comeback Player of the Year award. After a season with the Angels, Jackson hung up his cleats instead of returning to the game following the Player’s Strike of 1994.
That injury cut down what was truly an incredible athlete. While his numbers may not show it, Jackson had made strides as a baseball player, going from a raw talent to someone who was rapidly living up to his star billing. The strikeouts were decreasing and he was being more selective at the plate, leading to improved production overall. Instead, he will be remembered as one of baseball’s biggest ‘what if’ players.
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There was no one like Bo Jackson. Unfortunately, on this day in 1991, the Kansas City Royals star saw his career irreversibly changed.