Daniel Garza Jr. with Raiders Legend Bo Jackson.
I remember my dad got a card in the mail that said the TriStar collectors show was going to be at the Anaheim Convention Center, which is about an hour away from where I lived. With all the athletes who were going to appear the one that stood out was Bo Jackson. I begged to go and kept telling my parents all I wanted was to meet him and to get a jersey signed by him. Jackson is one of my favorite players and is a Raider icon and I was determined to finally meet him in person.
When we got there, I remember was how packed it was to see him. It seemed like all the local Raider fans were there. I knew how great of a player he was and what he meant to the Raiders, so I had an idea it was going to be a full house to see him. I also remember standing in line next to Greg Townsend, who was getting Jackson to sign some of his memorabilia, which showed how much respect Jackson had from other players.
When my dad and I were next in line I recall getting a bit nervous. I had read his book, read articles on him and seen plenty of videos of him, but nothing was like being in his presence. When we went up, he shook my hand and I remember he just smiled and we started chatting for a little bit. Then, he was kind enough to take a picture with me. When we walked off, I remember just staring at the jersey he just signed and thought to myself, "I just met Bo Jackson!"
Since then, I have met close to twenty other Raiders, but none of them will come close to the day I met my first Raider – Bo Jackson.
