In 1989, Topps released a set of baseball cards that featured one of the most electrifying two-sport athletes of all time – Bo Jackson. While Jackson only played parts of 4 MLB seasons from 1986-1990 due to injuries, his rare combination of power, speed, and athleticism made him one of the most popular and recognizable stars of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The 1989 Topps set marked Jackson’s first full season with the Kansas City Royals after being called up partway through the 1986 season. In 1988, he played in only 16 games due to injuries sustained in his first NFL season with the Los Angeles Raiders. However, 1989 saw a relatively healthy Jackson play in 113 games and cement his status as one of baseball’s rising stars.
Naturally, Topps capitalized on Jackson’s popularity and burgeoning stardom by featuring him prominently in their 1989 baseball card release. Jackson’s base card was #480 in the set. It shows him in a Royals home uniform, batting right-handed with the stadium lights shining behind him. His name “Bo Jackson” is proudly displayed at the top in large lettering.
Some key stats listed on Jackson’s 1989 Topps base card include:
Batting Average: .256 (1988), .276 (Career to date)
Home Runs: 11 (1988), 32 (Career to date)
RBI: 46 (1988), 99 (Career to date)
Stolen Bases: 11 (1988), 33 (Career to date)
The back of the card provides more in-depth stats as well as a short biography on Jackson. It notes that he was the #1 overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1986 NFL Draft but chose to sign with the Royals instead. It also highlights his prowess as a two-sport athlete, mentioning that he rushed for over 1,000 yards for the Raiders in addition to his baseball career.
Jackson was so popular that Topps also included him in several special photo and collection subsets within the 1989 set. His most prominent insert was card #90 in the Topps Traded set, which featured a bright yellow border. The photo shows Jackson rounding third base with an intense, determined expression on his face.
He was also featured in the “All-Star Rookies” subset on card #AR-8. This card captures Jackson in mid-swing from the left side of the plate during his Rookie of the Year season in 1987. Among the awards and accomplishments already under his belt at that point in his career were 1987 AL ROY, 3-time All-Star, and 1987 Home Run Derby champion.
1989 also saw Topps release special mini-sets within the base design featuring various teams, positions, and player highlights. Jackson had cards highlighting his speed and power in the “Topps Speed” and “Topps Power Alley” subsets respectively.
In the “Topps Royals” 25-card team subset, Jackson’s card #KC-13 depicts him rounding second base at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. Even this early in his career, he had already become an integral fan favorite and star player for the Royals.
The prominent inclusion of Bo Jackson across both the base 1989 Topps set as well as numerous popular inserts underscores just how electric of an athlete he was during this time period in the late 1980s. While injuries would limit his MLB tenure, cards from his rookie and early prime seasons like the 1989 issues remain highly coveted by collectors today given his unique sports resume and cultural staying power as a sports icon. The combination of action photos, stats, and biographical info across Jackson’s 1989 cards serves as a snapshot into the superstardom he experienced during his breakout season with the Royals.
