"The hardest thing to do in baseball is to hit a round baseball with a round bat, squarely." - Ted Williams
"Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority" - Vince Lombardi
Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson managed multi-year careers in two of America's most popular sports, and were stars on both fields of play. The move is certainly not unheard of. Many of today's professional baseball players were also stars in other sports on the collegiate level, including Chicago Cubs reliever Jeff Samardzija (WR at Notre Dame) and San Francisco Giants utility player Mark DeRosa (QB at UPenn). Former outfielder Brian Jordan (Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers, Rangers) even had a career as a defensive back in the NFL, playing with the Atlanta Falcons from 1989-1991.
However, few had the immediate impact and success in both sports that were shared by Sanders and Jackson.
Deion earned himself the nickname "Prime Time" for his flashy play and boisterous personality as a cornerback (1989-2005) for the 49ers, Cowboys, Falcons, Redskins, and Ravens, as well as an outfielder (1989-2001) for the Braves, Yankees, Reds, and Giants. Apart from a recent induction into the NFL Hall of Fame, two Super Bowl rings, 53 interceptions and 22 touchdowns, Sanders notched 558 hits, 186 steals, and a .263 batting average.
As if his speed hadn't been proven enough on the gridiron, Sanders led the National League with fourteen triples in 1992 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. His baseball numbers will never land him in Cooperstown, but his persona will never be forgotten. He is currently working with the NFL Network as an analyst, and is the star of his own reality show (Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love) on the Oxygen channel. Also, while he may wish I didn't mention his musical career, Deion Sanders released a rap album in 1994 titled (what else?) Prime Time which was followed by a remix album The Encore Remix in 2005. Hey, you can't be an all-star everywhere, right?
"Tecmo" Bo Jackson earned himself the nickname thanks to an old NES video game Tecmo Bowl, in which he was programmed to be hands-down the most effective running back--and overall player--in the game. Jackson won the Heisman trophy as a member of the Auburn Tigers in 1985, and played his entire NFL career as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders from 1987-1990. Unlike Sanders, Jackson's career was much more successful on the diamond. Jackson broke into the majors as a member of the Kansas City Royals in 1986, where he stayed until 1990, before taking his talents to the Chicago White Sox from 1991-1993, and playing his final game in the strike-shortened 1994 season as a member of the California Angels. He was the All-Star Game MVP in 1989 (on the strength of a season in which he finished with 32 home runs, 105 RBI, and 26 steals, finishing 10th in MVP voting) and won the 1993 Comeback Player of the Year award in 1993. He finished his baseball career with 141 home runs, 415 RBI, a .250 batting average, and his trademark act of breaking the bat over his knee after a particularly frustrating strikeout. Arguably, Jackson's non-playing persona was bigger than his on the field. Nike's "Bo Knows" ad campaign capitalized on his freakish athletic ability, while he personally endorsed the NES game Bo Jackson Baseball and Gameboy game Bo Jackson's Hit & Run, which combined both sports into one game. He was also an unlockable character in the 2004 multi-console game NFL Street, as a member of the "Gridiron Legends." A showcase of the "Tecmo Bo" character can be seen below, courtesy of YouTube:
There is frequently talk of "the next Prime Time," or "the next Tecmo Bo," with athletes such as NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez trying out with the Miami Heat, and--of course--Michael Jordan's brief flirtation with professional baseball as a member of the Chicago White Sox minor league organization. However, if anyone manages to break into the professional realm in more than one sport, they will likely always be in the shadow of Tecmo and Prime Time, the standard bearers for diverse athleticism.
"Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority" - Vince Lombardi
Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson managed multi-year careers in two of America's most popular sports, and were stars on both fields of play. The move is certainly not unheard of. Many of today's professional baseball players were also stars in other sports on the collegiate level, including Chicago Cubs reliever Jeff Samardzija (WR at Notre Dame) and San Francisco Giants utility player Mark DeRosa (QB at UPenn). Former outfielder Brian Jordan (Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers, Rangers) even had a career as a defensive back in the NFL, playing with the Atlanta Falcons from 1989-1991.
However, few had the immediate impact and success in both sports that were shared by Sanders and Jackson.
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| Deion, in his rookie season in the Bronx. |
As if his speed hadn't been proven enough on the gridiron, Sanders led the National League with fourteen triples in 1992 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. His baseball numbers will never land him in Cooperstown, but his persona will never be forgotten. He is currently working with the NFL Network as an analyst, and is the star of his own reality show (Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love) on the Oxygen channel. Also, while he may wish I didn't mention his musical career, Deion Sanders released a rap album in 1994 titled (what else?) Prime Time which was followed by a remix album The Encore Remix in 2005. Hey, you can't be an all-star everywhere, right?
"Tecmo" Bo Jackson earned himself the nickname thanks to an old NES video game Tecmo Bowl, in which he was programmed to be hands-down the most effective running back--and overall player--in the game. Jackson won the Heisman trophy as a member of the Auburn Tigers in 1985, and played his entire NFL career as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders from 1987-1990. Unlike Sanders, Jackson's career was much more successful on the diamond. Jackson broke into the majors as a member of the Kansas City Royals in 1986, where he stayed until 1990, before taking his talents to the Chicago White Sox from 1991-1993, and playing his final game in the strike-shortened 1994 season as a member of the California Angels. He was the All-Star Game MVP in 1989 (on the strength of a season in which he finished with 32 home runs, 105 RBI, and 26 steals, finishing 10th in MVP voting) and won the 1993 Comeback Player of the Year award in 1993. He finished his baseball career with 141 home runs, 415 RBI, a .250 batting average, and his trademark act of breaking the bat over his knee after a particularly frustrating strikeout. Arguably, Jackson's non-playing persona was bigger than his on the field. Nike's "Bo Knows" ad campaign capitalized on his freakish athletic ability, while he personally endorsed the NES game Bo Jackson Baseball and Gameboy game Bo Jackson's Hit & Run, which combined both sports into one game. He was also an unlockable character in the 2004 multi-console game NFL Street, as a member of the "Gridiron Legends." A showcase of the "Tecmo Bo" character can be seen below, courtesy of YouTube:
There is frequently talk of "the next Prime Time," or "the next Tecmo Bo," with athletes such as NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez trying out with the Miami Heat, and--of course--Michael Jordan's brief flirtation with professional baseball as a member of the Chicago White Sox minor league organization. However, if anyone manages to break into the professional realm in more than one sport, they will likely always be in the shadow of Tecmo and Prime Time, the standard bearers for diverse athleticism.
