Logan HamackMr.WicklundResearch PaperApril 9, 2014The Impact of Bo JacksonAthletes come and go, but a few are remembered for having an impact greater than usual in the sporting world. Some of these athletes are Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky and Bo Jackson. Many people don't know much about Bo. It's because he didn't play very long. Although his career came to an abrupt end, Bo Jackson is still considered one of the best athletes of all time because of the impact he was able to make while healthy. Knowing what he accomplished in his short time in professional sports, many wonder: what more could he have done? Bo grew up in a town named Bessemer in Alabama and was born on November 30, 1962. For Bo, life was about getting to college. Indeed, of the 10 children his mother, Florence Bond, had, none had reached college. Bo was the only child to attend college. As a child, he excelled in baseball, football, and track and field, in which he became a professional. Having been such a freak athlete, Jackson was able to choose almost every college in the country on an athletic scholarship. He knew he had a lot of choices and could attend any college or university, but he wanted to stay in his home state, so there were only two schools left, Auburn University and the University of Alabama. Eventually a choice was made and Jackson attended Auburn University, which is where his name started to mean something. Arguably, Bo's greatest accomplishment throughout his career was winning the Heisman Trophy in his final football season at Auburn University. Other than that he hasn't really accomplished much, he's never won a Super Bowl or Wor...... middle of paper ......t. We thought it was like any other tackle from behind, but it turned out to be much more than just a tackle. When Bo hit the ground, his hip came out of its socket and when he turned around, he managed to push it back into place. The doctor who told him that also told him it wasn't possible, but it turns out it was. Bo's injury has been considered one of the worst sports injuries of all time. Dislocating a bone from its socket is one of the worst things you can do before breaking a bone, but putting it back into its socket yourself is going to be extremely painful. “When I stood up and took a step, the pain was like someone stabbing an ice pick into my pelvis.” That's what Bo said about the pain he felt after the hip came back into the socket and he tried to walk. Jackson had to be helped off the field. It was the last time he played professional football..