Fansided

Top 10 moments in MLB All-Star Game history

By Joshua Sadlock

Cal Ripken Jr., (R) of the Baltimore Orioles, asked to move to short stop position by American Leaguer Alex Rodriguez (L) during the first inning of the baseball All-Star game 10 July, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. Ripken is making in final appearance in the All-Star game after nineteen season and played most of them as short stop. AFP PHOTO/John MABANGLO (Photo by JOHN G. MABANGLO / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN G. MABANGLO/AFP/Getty Images)
Cal Ripken Jr., (R) of the Baltimore Orioles, asked to move to short stop position by American Leaguer Alex Rodriguez (L) during the first inning of the baseball All-Star game 10 July, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. Ripken is making in final appearance in the All-Star game after nineteen season and played most of them as short stop. AFP PHOTO/John MABANGLO (Photo by JOHN G. MABANGLO / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN G. MABANGLO/AFP/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM – JULY 11: Bo Jackson #16 of the Kansas City Royals plays in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 11, 1989 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. Jackson was named MVP of the game. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM – JULY 11: Bo Jackson #16 of the Kansas City Royals plays in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 11, 1989 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. Jackson was named MVP of the game. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images) /

7. Bo puts on a show, 1989

Because his prime was cut short by a degenerative hip injury, sports fans were never given a chance to see Bo Jackson live up to his full athletic potential. As it stands, Jackson had a damn good career, even if it was brief. He remains the only professional athlete to appear in an All-Star Game for two major sports, making the MLB All-Star Game in 1989 and the NFL Pro Bowl in 1990.

Jackson hit the All-Star Game in 1989 tied for the American League lead with 21 home runs. By the time he stepped to the plate to lead off the bottom of the first, he had already made a spectacular running catch in the top half of the frame to keep the American League’s deficit at just 2-0. Rick Reuschel tried to sneak something offspeed past Jackson, but he golfed a low pitch way out to dead center. It was a truly majestic piece of hitting.

The home run wasn’t the end of Jackson’s huge night. He would also double to drive in another run and stole a base. For his efforts, he was named MVP of the game. The 1989 season would turn out to be the best of his career, and he finished with 32 home runs, 105 RBI and 26 stolen bases.

Sadly, Jackson suffered his fateful hip injury during the 1990 NFL season. At the time, he had rushed for nearly 700 yards while averaging nearly six yards a carry through the first 10 games of the season. Jackson attempted to focus fully on baseball after retiring from the NFL, but was a shell of himself and hit just .248/.315/.457 with 32 home runs and 102 RBI over the final three years of his career.

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