The brief baseball career of Michael Jordan has generated a lot of discussion. It was widely seen as a failure and that Jordan snatched up a seat on the Birmingham Barons, a Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, from a player who was more deserving of it.
Even still, when you really consider Jordan’s statistics, you realize that they were rather good for a man who hadn’t played baseball since high school. With the Barons in the minor leagues, Jordan amassed 88 hits, 17 doubles, 1 triple, and 51 runs batted in.
In 127 games and 436 at-bats, Jordan also hit 3 home runs and swiped 30 bases. Jordan played for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League after joining the Birmingham Barons, where one of his coaches was future MLB manager Terry Francona.
Jordan would have a.252 average, 34 strikeouts, and 0 home homers there. Many baseball fans are aware of Jordan’s experience in the minor leagues, but did you know that during his brief playing career, Jordan only participated in one legitimate MLB game?
Jordan participated in an exhibition game for the Chicago White Sox
On April 7, 1994, Michael Jordan participated in an exhibition game between the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs. Despite being simply an exhibition, this is Jordan’s only participation in a legitimate MLB game.
Jordan played for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League after joining the Birmingham Barons, where one of his coaches was future MLB manager Terry Francona. Jordan would have a.252 average, 34 strikeouts, and 0 home homers there.
Many baseball fans are aware of Jordan’s experience in the minor leagues, but did you know that during his brief playing career, Jordan only participated in one legitimate MLB game?
Although this was fantastic, the game’s biggest moment for MJ would occur later on when the Cubs’ lead was reduced to 4-3. To tie the game, Jordan hit an RBI double down the left field line.
Jordan would ultimately give up on his dream of playing baseball when the strike that began on August 12, 1994, continued into 1995. On March 19, 1995, MJ would make his basketball comeback while sporting the number 45 he had worn in baseball.
Jordan would later switch back to his usual number 23, which he liked. He would go on to lead the Chicago Bulls to three more championships in a row, giving him a total of six championships and establishing his place as the greatest basketball player in history. He was also a passable baseball player.