Bo Knows Retirement, And That’s No Act

Bo Jackson, once a star in two professional sports, has decided to retire from baseball and will move to a third arena - acting in movies and on television, his business manager said today.

Susann McKee, who directs Bo Jackson Enterprises in Mobile, said Jackson realized during the eight months of the baseball strike that he wanted to spend more time with his wife and three children in Chicago.

He said he made his decision to retire Monday and does not plan a news conference to elaborate. McKee said he told USA Today of his plans and was to talk today with sports writer and TV commentator Dick Schaap.

Jackson, a 32-year-old Alabama native who won the Heisman Trophy in 1985 as a tailback at Auburn, starred in pro football with the Los Angeles Raiders before an injury forced him to undergo hip-replacement surgery. He continued playing professional baseball and was with the California Angeles last season.

“I think the strike made him realize what he wanted to do,” McKee said. “He realized he wants to be home more.”

She said he signed last year with the William Morris agency, which represents actors and media figures, and has been reading scripts, looking for movie roles as well as a possible television series.

She said he has been taking acting lessons in Los Angeles and had been in contact with CBS as well as Viacom about prospective shows.

“It was great while it lasted,” Jackson, a free agent, told the USA Today from his Chicago home. “But it’s over now. As of April 3, I’m retired from pro sports.”

Jackson played for the Raiders from 1987-90.

He began his baseball career with the Kansas City Royals in 1986 and spent four-plus seasons there. He was released by the Royals on March 18, 1991, when it looked like his hip injury would keep him out up to nine months.

Daulton quits post

Frustrated by the strike, Philadelphia Phillies catcher Darren Daulton said he has resigned as the team’s player representative.

“I don’t want to be a part of it,” Daulton said after reporting to Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla.

Daulton didn’t elaborate on the reasons for giving up the job, but he spent a long time talking about his general disillusionment with lawyers.

Free agents prepare

The players’ association was finalizing a deal Tuesday to open a camp for Dave Winfield, Kevin Brown and maybe more than 100 other free agents in Homestead, Fla., south of Miami. Former Oakland manager Jackie Moore will be in charge.

“The purpose of the camp is to have a place for the guys to get into shape and to have a place to play,” said Mark Belanger, the union executive in charge of setting up the camp. “We will have intrasquad games, and we’re trying to set up exhibition games of some sort, although playing major league teams would probably be very difficult.”