Tecmo Bo’s Finest Cards
Tales of Bo Jackson’s athletic exploits leave those who hadn’t witnessed them wondering whether they’re real. His greatness almost seemed mythical, as the product of Bessemer (AL), also the birthplace of legendary rapper Gucci Mane, strapped up cleats and authored legendary moment after moment on the gridiron and diamond. A multi-sport athlete and culture phenomenon in his own right, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy in a sport he called a “hobby,” earned a second-round selection in the MLB Draft, became the top pick in an NFL Draft and still stands as the only athlete in the history of professional sports to make All-Star Games in two major sports. Jackson’s trading cards capture a legendary sports career that featured 141 homers,18 total touchdowns, and enough honors to fill up a museum. So let’s salute a legend and celebrate the best of Bo Jackson’s Rookie Cards & More.
Top Bo Jackson Cards #s 10-6
10: 1994 Topps Finest #241 Bo Jackson Refractor
The second installment of Topps Finest, a game-changing product featuring high-end cards, was released in 1994. The set captures the 31-year-old star’s last hurrah and a campaign in which Jackson tallied 13 homers and 43 RBIs. Refractors were distributed at a ratio of one in every nine packs and offered as parallel versions for every card within the base set.
9: 1987 Topps Tiffany #170 Bo Jackson (Future Stars)
While 2000s rappers often rhymed about woodgrain, they might find the 1987 Topps Tiffany #170 Bo Jackson card appealing, thanks to its distinctive woodgrain border. In 1987, Topps introduced the ‘Future Stars’ subset, shining a spotlight on emerging MLB players. Collectors debate whether or not this qualifies as a rookie card, but that classification depends on one’s interpretation.
7: 1986 Memphis Chicks #28 Bo Jackson Gold
The first overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, Jackson spurned the opportunity to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, instead choosing to compete on the diamond, joining the Memphis Chicks– his first professional baseball squad and the defending-champion Kansas City Royals‘ AA-affiliate at the time. He starred in 53 games with Memphis before being called up to the Bigs and never looked back.
6: 1986 Donn Jennings #13 Bo Jackson
Mississippi rapper Big Krit once called 1986 “the coldest year ever.” With multiple Bo Jackson Minor League cards dropping that year, we’d have to agree that it was a pretty cool time. The 1986 Donn Jennings set featured 25 cards from the Southern League and boasts Jackson alongside Mark McGwire, Tom Glavine and Jose Canseco. A lot of power with a little pitching, eh?!
