One of the very last card shows I attended was in the early-90’s in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Bo Jackson was several years into his baseball & football career and despite having an expensive ’86 Topps rookie card, the entire show was buzzing over a 1990 Score and it’s soaring price of $25.00 dollars.

In 1990, I’d be lucky if I had that much money for a couple of shows combined and besides, I was there to stock up on Jose Canseco baseball cards, not some flash in the pan who had overshadowed the “greatest of all-time” with natural ability and amazing charm. In 1990, Bo Jackson ruled the Hobby much like the previous year when some “Kid” named Griffey did with his Upper Deck rookie card.

It’s only after Deion Sanders began playing baseball in 1989 and into 2001 that I really begin to appreciate what an amazing athlete Bo Jackson truly was. Of course everything came to an end for Bo on January 13th, 1991 when during a playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals Bo suffered a severe hip injury which instantly ended his promising football career.

Before returning to baseball, Bo even joined a semi-pro basketball team but eventually landed on the White Sox before ending his career in 1994 with the California Angels. Looking at the numbers he put up during the strike-shortened baseball season it’s clear Bo still had plenty left in the gas tank. In 75 games, Bo hit 13 home runs and 43 RBI while hitting .279, a career-best.

Bo is that rare superstar athlete who let his god-given talent take him to the top. He was never in any legal trouble, or been mentioned in Steroid talk which has tarnished the reputation of many of yesteryear’s finest athletes, especially in baseball. Today, you could spend some time watching his amazing plays on YouTube or you could pay tribute by picking up one of his many certified autographs, which range anywhere from $40 dollars (or Best Offer) up to $300 dollars for a “1 of 1”.

So which sport would you want your certified Bo Jackson autograph in? Can you imagine if Donruss had Bo sign 100 of the original Score cards (without stickers) and inserted them into their next baseball release? That would be one awesome “pull” but sadly it will probably never happen.