When Jose Canseco's 40-40 feat secured him a $23,500,000 deal with Oakland Athletics

Anyone who watched any baseball in the 1980s knows the name Jose Canseco. The outfielder seemed to have the ideal combination of power, poise and speed.

Born in Cuba in 1959, Canseco moved to Florida with his family as a child. Although baseball-obsessed from a young age, Canseco did not make the varsity team until his senior year.

Despite being a late bloomer, Canseco was able to get drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 15th round of the 1982 draft. After an impressive few seasons in the Minor Leagues, Jose Canseco finally got the MLB nod in 1985.

The next season, Canseco broke out. The 21-year old hit 33 home runs and 117 RBIs to gain a selection to his first All-Star team, and also netted the AL Rookie of the Year Award. Little did Oakland Athletics fans know, this was only the beginning for the young stud.

"1988 Oakland A's. Jose Canseco, Don Baylor, Mark McGwire, and Dave Parker" - OldTimeHardball

After a strong 1987 season, Jose Canseco set his eyes on history. In the 1988 pre-season, Canseco vowed he would become the first player ever to connect for 40 home runs and swipe 40 bases. At that point, nobody had ever achieved that feat, and Canseco had never stole more than 15 bags in a season.

Lo and behold, Jose Canseco stayed true to his word, and blasted 40 home runs alongside 40 stolen bases. His 40th stolen base came as part of a two-steal performance against the Milwaukee Brewers. Canseco had made history.

"I didn't start earning serious money until my 1988 breakthrough year" - (Jose Canseco, Juiced, 2005)

Although he missed 88 games in 1989 due to a broken wrist, the A's extended a five-year, $23.5 million deal to Canseco ahead of the 1990 season. The deal made him the first-ever player to earn $4 million per year, and cemented his legacy in Oakland lore.

In 2005, Canseco published a tell-all book that accused several high-profile names of using steroids. According to Canseco, 85% of MLB players took steroids. Among those named in the expose was former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, another 40-40 club member.

Jose Canseco left the MLB with a very mixed legacy

Multiple legal issues as well as PED use have indeed tainted Canseco's image. However, the swagger, style and ability to crush the baseball is something that made Canseco a hero for millions in his heyday.

It's also true that Canseco played ball in a different time, and much of what he was accustomed to would simply not fly in today's MLB. Whether or not you think he is a spoiled cheater, or one of the best players in history, fans certainly owe a lot to Parkway Jose.