Jackson Gets His First Hit : Ex-Auburn Star Says He Won’t Press in Game

Bo Jackson singled in his first professional at-bat Monday night, driving in a run for Memphis against Columbus.

Jackson hit a hard ground ball up the middle, giving the Chicks a 3-0 lead.

Jackson, the Heisman Trophy winner and top National Football League draft pick, was hitting seventh as the designated hitter in the Southern League game.

Memphis is the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, who signed Jackson 10 days ago. He was ineligible to play until Monday.

Jackson promised he would not press himself as he begins playing.

“I think there’s some people who see Bo Jackson as a type of person who can’t be beat, and that’s not so.”

He said that while his main goal is “to get back to Kansas City as soon as I can,” he’s trying to make progress “one day at a time.”

“I’m going out for one reason tonight and that’s to help the Memphis Chicks to a win,” he said.

Mitch Cook, a 23-year old right-hander, drew the starting assignment for the Columbus, Ga., Astros.

“It was my spot in the rotation, so they put me in. I’m glad,” said Cook, who admitted being nervous.

He also admitted having noted that striking out Jackson on his first night would be a quick way to become famous.

Cook described himself as primarily a slider pitcher who would challenge Jackson.

“I’m not going to pitch around him,” he said.

“I watched him take batting practice and it looks like he doesn’t like the ball inside, so I might try that,” he said.

Jackson said he didn’t mind being kept out of the outfield his first night. His manager has said he will play as a DH until Friday or Saturday.

Jackson was 45 minutes late for Monday afternoon’s news conference. He said he had worked out at Chicks Stadium Monday morning, then returned to his hotel, but had lost his room key--”for the second time.”

Jackson said he has barely had time over the last three days to see his mother, who has come to Memphis for the debut.

Also present for the game were Royals co-owner Avron Fogleman, who also owns the Chicks; Dean Vogelaar, a Royals vice president; and Art Stewart, the Royals’ director of scouting.

Stewart reiterated that while the Royals have no set expectations for Jackson--”nothing he does can surprise us”--they consider the 6-1, 220-pound former running back “the finest athlete and baseball prospect of our time.”

Reminded that many “can’t miss” prospects, the likes of Charlie Spikes and Clint Hurdle, have been disappointments, Stewart said, “There have been players like that, but you can’t put them on a par with Bo Jackson. There’s never been anyone with the Willie Wilson speed, the Mickey Mantle power.”

Jackson worked out last week in Kansas City. Stewart said he was timed from home to first in 3.8 seconds, about the same as Wilson when he bats right-handed.

Stewart also said a bicep strength test on Jackson produced a result “twice that of any player in the Royals organization.”

Recalling Jackson’s batting practice last week in Royals Stadium, before a game with Oakland, Stewart said that Jackson hit shots that A’s rookie star Jose Canseco “couldn’t come close to.”

Jackson was rated 8 on the scouts’ scale for power, Stewart said, the same as a few other players.

“But eight’s the highest number,” Stewart said. “If there was a nine or 10, he probably would have got it.”

Cook, Jackson’s first professional opponent, had done some scouting of his own.

“There’s not many guys who can hit a ball as far as he can,” he said after watching Jackson bat.