July 11, 1989: Bo Knows Baseball

July 11, 1989: The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is played at Anaheim Stadium, in Orange County. At the time, Anaheim was still thought of as a suburb of Los Angeles, rather than as a real city.

NBC's broadcast included the premiere of a Nike commercial with Bo Jackson: "Bo Knows":

* It begins with a black screen, and white lettering saying, "Cross-Training by Bo Jackson." Then, "Music by Bo Diddley." With rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley cranking out guitar chords in between:

* We see Jackson, in a Kansas City Royals powder-blue away uniform, taking batting practice, and Kirk Gibson, then with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the hero of the previous season's World Series, telling the camera, "Bo knows baseball." No argument there.

* We see Jackson, in a Los Angeles Raiders black home uniform, busting through a line in practice, and Jim Everett, then the quarterback of the Los Angeles Rams, saying, "Bo knows football." No argument there.

* We see Jackson in a gym, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, dunking a basketball. He hadn't even played basketball in high school. Then we see Michael Jordan, who helped to make Nike as a brand as much as Nike made him one (although he hadn't yet won his 1st NBA Championship), say, "Bo knows basketball, too."

* We see Jackson on a tennis court, hitting volleys. John McEnroe, not convinced, seems to be asking the camera: "Bo knows tennis?"

* We see Jackson jogging, and Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the 1984 women's Olympic marathon, saying, "Bo knows running." No question about that.

* We see Jackson playing hockey, wearing a Los Angeles Kings black home uniform, but, instead of controlling the puck, he's checking a player with "KC" into the boards. Kansas City had only briefly had a team in the NHL, in the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons, and a lot of people from that area, seeing this commercial, objected. It was later revealed that Bo wasn't actually on skates, he was wearing Nike sneakers. Did Bo "know hockey"? Wayne Gretzky, then with the Kings, skated up to a camera, and said, simply, "No." Bo Diddley was shown laughing, which the viewer is led to believe is at Gretzky's word.

* We see Jackson on a racing bicycle, and 3 women, not identified, but all dressed alike, as if they're on a cycling team, say, "Bo knows cycling."

* We see Jackson in a weight room, lifting. The scene shifts to a beach, with a sign saying, "MUSCLE BEACH VENICE," which was famous as the training ground of fitness icon Jack LaLanne. And 5 solidly muscled guys say, "Bo knows weights." No surprise there.

* Finally, the scene shifts to the music club where Bo Diddley has been playing. Bo Jackson's ability on the guitar is minimal. Bo Diddley looks into the camera, "breaking the fourth wall," as if to say, "You believe this guy?" Finally, Bo Diddley says to Bo Jackson, "Bo, you don't know diddley!"

(A sequel was made: After 6 months of practice, Jackson was able to play well enough that Bo Diddley was able to say, "Bo, I guess you do know diddley.")

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When the All-Star players were introduced, it was announced that Mike Schmidt of the Philadelphia Phillies had been voted by the fans as the National League's starting 3rd baseman -- even though he had retired a few weeks earlier. In recognition of this tribute, he made the trip and suited up. When announced, he tipped his cap, and got a standing ovation -- in a ballpark in which he had never played, since the Phils were in the NL, the Angels were in the American League, they had yet to win their 1st Pennant, and had last hosted the All-Star Game in 1967.

The starting pitchers were Rick Reuschel of the San Francisco Giants for the NL, and Dave Stewart of the Oakland Athletics for the AL. The NL scored 2 runs in the top of the 1st inning. In the bottom of the 1st inning, Vin Scully, broadcasting the game for NBC, brought in a special guest broadcaster, who had once called Chicago Cubs games for radio station WHO in Des Moines, Iowa: Ronald Reagan, the former President, who had recently retired to his ranch on the other side of Southern California.

Orange County had been the heart of "Reagan Country." In the years to come, it grew less conservative. But Reagan, not showing any sign of Alzheimer's disease on the night, acknowledged the area's role in his rise, first to be Governor of California, and then as President, by saying that Anaheim Stadium was "the best ballpark in baseball."

It sure didn't look like it: In 1979, seating had been built in the outfield, expanding seating capacity from 43,250 to 64,593 for baseball, and 69,008 for football, so that the Los Angeles Rams could move in. They played there from 1980 to 1994, then left the L.A. area completely, before moving back in 2016. Before the 1997 season, the football bleachers were torn down, and what would later be renamed Angel Stadium of Anaheim was a baseball park again, seating 45,517.

Bo Jackson led off the bottom of the 1st inning for the American League. And, while Reagan was speaking, Reuschel threw Jackson a knuckleball. It was right where Jackson wanted it, and he hit a tremendous drive, onto the tarp on the football bleachers that served as a hitter's background.

It was reminiscent of a drive by another Jackson, Reggie, who hit a knuckleball from Charlie Hough to straightaway center field in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series. This drive was in the same direction, and about the same distance, around 475 feet.

Wade Boggs of the Boston Red Sox, not really a slugger, also hit a home run, as the American League won, 5-3. The winning pitcher was Angels legend Nolan Ryan, at this point with the Texas Rangers.

At the end of the 1990 NFL regular season, Bo Jackson looked like he might make the Hall of Fame in both sports. But during the Playoffs, he injured his hip so badly that it required a replacement. He never played in the NFL again, and hung on in MLB until 1995.

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July 11, 1989, as is usual for the day of baseball's All-Star Game, was a Tuesday. Since this was the only baseball game on the day, and all other major league sports in North America were out of season, this was the only score on this historic day.