Bo Jackson takes his rightful place as newest member of Royals Hall of Fame

There are some things that are unique to Kansas City.

And Bo Jackson knows.

The beloved two-sport superstar returned “home” this weekend. He didn’t come back to only reminisce about old times. Although, he was known to enjoy some Gates Bar-B-Q with his family and friends.

It was his favorite spot … and he will be quick to tell you that.

He didn’t come back just for the Kansas City Royals series against the Cleveland Guardians. However, he is still amazed at the sheer number of No. 16 jerseys that bear his name.

No, this time, Jackson returned for a special occasion. And if you really knew Bo, it quickly turned into a lively celebration.

On Saturday, Jackson was back in the spotlight. Jackson was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame as the 30th member of the exclusive club.

“This is where my professional career started,” Jackson said. “This is where I became a man in the sports world. And coming back here today for this honor, what it means to me is that my family has welcomed me back home.”

Jackson was honored with an on-field ceremony on Saturday before the game against the Cleveland Guardians. He celebrated alongside several former teammates and Royals Hall of Famers. There was a special highlight reel of his most iconic plays.

Royals fans expressed their gratitude as Jackson garnered a loud ovation. He smiled and hugged former Royals general manager John Schuerholz before officially receiving his signature blue Hall of Fame jacket.

Schuerholz and former Royals general manager Cedric Tallis were also inducted to the Royals Hall of Fame this weekend. The trio embodied the Royals’ ethos in and around the KC community.

“You know how they say, it takes a community to raise a child,” Jackson opined. “Well, the city of Kansas City molded me to where I am now. So like I said, this is where it all started. I can’t do anything but give thanks, not only to the city, but the people of the Royals who believe in me.”

One of those people was longtime Royals scout Art Stewart. He helped bring Jackson to Kansas City after Jacson’s successful career at Auburn University

In 1986, Jackson was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL Draft. However, he decided against playing for the organization and turned to baseball.

Jackson joined the Royals later that year. He appeared in 25 games during his rookie season and quickly made an impact.

His first MLB hit came against Hall of Famer Steve Carlton. It was an infield single that Jackson hustled down the line to collect.

“I got to first base and he had tipped his hat,” Jackson said. “He had acknowledged the fact and that was almost like saying: ‘Welcome to the big leagues and welcome to the show.’ Everything else since that has been uphill.”

Jackson spent five seasons with the Royals. He hit .250 with 109 home runs, 313 RBIs and 81 stolen bases in that span.

Additionally, he made some iconic defensive plays that included throwing out former Seattle Mariners star Harold Reynolds and robbing four-time All-Star Jack Clark of a home run at Yankee Stadium two years later.

“We all know the highlight stuff, but he went through struggles just like all these guys do in baseball,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “This is a hard game, and I think he shares some of that with the guys as well.”

It’s those intimate moments that mean a lot. Jackson is now able to share his love of the game with the next generation of players and fans.

Jackson visits with the Royals in spring training. On Saturday, he had his family and grandson, Aidan, alongside him pregame.

From seeing fans wear his jersey in the stands to Aidan watching all his old highlights, Jackson is thankful for the legacy that he has created in Kansas City.

“It means one thing to me, that I did something right and people still respect me for doing those right things when I was younger,” Jackson said. “... For me, I’m just fortunate enough and thankful enough that I had a group of people around me that cared about me as a person instead of the athlete.”

Now, Jackson can add one honor to his resume.

“I’m like this: If you have faith in me, I’m going to give you 110% every day, period,” Jackson said. “It may not be enough to win, but I’m going to give you 110%, and that’s all I can do.”

And it’s truly why Bo now knows the Royals Hall of Fame.