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B.1962-present
Professional Football-Baseball Athlete
Because "Bo Knows" best
Bo Jackson was one of the greatest multi-sport athletes of all time. He is best known for his athletic ability and his charitable actions. He paved the way for thousands of multi-sport athletes across the world but what separates him from the rest is that he was the reason they were able to do what they did because he did it first.
Bo Jackson was an American Athlete who won many awards due to his athletic ability and his drive to succeed. Bo grew up in a small house in Bessemer Alabama. He was the eighth of his ten brothers and sisters. He grew up playing football and baseball at his high school McCalla. While he was there he showed signs of the kind of player he could be in the future. In his senior year he made an incredible decision even after being drafted in the second round of the 1982 MLB draft. Despite this fantastic achievement he had made a promise to his mother that he would be the first person in his family to go to a top college so he decided to go to Auburn instead of going to the MLB. During his time at Auburn, “Bo was already a phenomenon… He’d won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn and he’d been the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft by Tampa Bay” (Posnanski). He was extremely talented right out of the gate, Despite already being drafted in the MLB and him strictly telling all the NFL teams in the league that he didn’t want to be drafted the sheer idea that he could possibly change his mind and decide to play football led to him being the number one draft pick. That alone being a massive feat for any player let alone one who wasn't interested. Once Bo had debuted in his first season in the MLB and NFL season he immediately proved to all his doubters as to why he was so dominant and that he was as good as people said, “Jackson set a Kansas city record in 1987 by hitting 22 homeruns in his rookie season”(Adams). As a rookie this is an incredible achievement that many would accomplish and relish in but the fact that he did this while simultaneously being in the NFL is just incredible. Bo Achieved many different milestones during his career but none more that the year he did something that was seemingly impossible. “He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports”(“Bo”). To many this was the moment that Bo certified that he was not someone to take lightly. In both sports there have been hundreds of talented players in both leagues that have never been honored with the right to play in the All star game and to do so for both the NFL and the MLB in the same year was truly a defining moment in his career. It set new parameters and changed the way people perceived athletes and what was possible.
Jackson was not only known for his athletic ability but how he presented himself to the world through his actions and charities. He had commercial deals where other athletes said what they though about him saying, “Jackson’s celebrity was augmented by a popular series of television commercials he filmed for the Nike shoe company that showed him demonstrating a wide range of athletic prowess while famous athletes declared that “Bo Knows” the sport in question” (Augustyn). Many people and athletes respected Bo throughout his career and still today. Jackson was one of the most respected players in both leagues. Bo was also a very generous and giving person this is seen through things like his charity Bo Bikes Bama, “Bo Bikes Bama is an annual charity bike ride led by two-sport legend and Alabama native Bo Jackson. Every year, Bo Bikes Bama raises money for the Governor’s Emergency Relief Fund, which provides crucial disaster preparedness and emergency management resources for the state of Alabama” (“Bo”). This shows how generous Jackson is and how he is not only willing to help others but actively trying to. This truly shows how strong his character is and how he is using his wealth and influence in order to secure the safety of the roughly 5 million residents of Alabama. With everything else aside Bo's true character that shows why he deserves to be in the undefeated 44 list is shown through his last conversation with his mother, “Bo’s mom died of cancer when he was in college, and her last question to him was, “are you going to continue to play sports?” and he said, “My first hit will be for you.” guess what young rookie Bo did on his first MLB hit: He hit a homerun” (Pelon). This truly shows the strength of his character. He went to college for his mother he hit a homerun in his debut game all for his mother and his family because that is what mattered most to him.
Bo Jackson changed his part of the world with his athletic ability, the awards he received, and how he presented himself. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest players and humanitarians in sports history through his actions on and off the field, from giving millions hope that their dreams were achievable by breaking down and redefining the barriers in multi-sport professional athletes to giving back to the community all shows how Bo Jackson is one of a kind.
Daniel Leyes, Jake Adamczyk
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