On This Date in Sports March 4, 1994

In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com

In Sarasota, all eyes are on the Chicago White Sox rookie wearing #45, as Michael Jordan plays in his first Spring Training Game. Jordan stunned the sports world five months earlier announcing his retirement from the NBA. In February he came to camp with the White Sox saying it was a dream of his recently deceased father. In his lone at-bat, Michael Jordan bounced back to pitcher Darren Oliver.

Michael Jordan was the biggest star in the sports world in 1994. Born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn and raised in North Carolina, Jordan led North Carolina to a National Championship as a freshman in 1982. After he was drafted third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 draft, Michael Jordan became a start instantly in the NBA, winning the Rookie of the Year in 1985. He eventually became the best player in the NBA, leading the league in scoring for the first time in 1987. A year later he won his first MVP award as he improved his defensive game. It would take Michael Jordan a few seasons to get the right mix of teammates around him, but in 1991, Jordan led the Bulls to their first championship, beginning a dynasty that would define basketball in the 1990s. Jordan and the Bulls won three straight NBA Championships, winning the MVP twice and seven straight scoring titles.

Following the Bulls third straight championship, Michael Jordan endured a personal tragedy when his father James was killed in a carjacking gone wrong. This caused a period of self-reflection for Michael Jordan leading him to retire on October 6, 1993, as NBA camps were begging. The elder Jordan had dreamed of playing baseball, Michael Jordan had given up baseball as senior in high school to concentrate on basketball having earned a scholarship to North Carolina.

Despite not having played baseball in some 13 years, Michael Jordan asked for a chance to play with the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox who were owned by Jerry Reinsdorf who also owned the Bulls said yes, with the hopes, of course, he would eventually want to return to the hardwood. It was clear from the start that Jordan had plenty of rust as he often looked awkward when fielding in right field and hitting. To pay tribute to his father, Michael Jordan wore #45 a number he originally wanted when he was in high school but was already used by his older brother.

To nobody’s surprise, Michael Jordan’s baseball career was a nonstarter, though he spent the entire 1994 season playing for the Chicago White Sox AA team, the Birmingham Barons managed by Terry Francona. Jordan batted .202 with three home runs, 51 RBI and 30 stolen bases while scoring 46 runs. However, due to that damn strike that took out the playoffs and World Series, he never had a chance to play a real major league game. Though he did play a home and home series before the season with the traditional exhibition games between the White Sox and Chicago Cubs.

Despite his lack of skills on the diamond, the whole baseball experience became a large curiosity around Michael Jordan as it was still Michael Jordan the most famous and richest athlete on the face of the earth, whose endorsements for companies like Nike and Gatorade made him larger than life. His baseball cards also were highly sought after, even though it was clear he was not a baseball player. As a famous Sports Illustrated cover famously said, “Bag It Michael”.

Michael Jordan would show some positive signs playing with the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League as baseball ended its nuclear winter. However, the following spring he refused to play in the scab games, citing his connection to the NBA Players Association. This would end his baseball career.

A few weeks later, with a simple two-word phrase “I’m Back”, Michael Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls wearing #45.