Chicago White Sox Michael Jordan Makes MiLB Debut

By David Hill |

Apr 4, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; NBA former player Michael Jordan and NCAA president Mark Emmert during halftime of the game between the Villanova Wildcats and the North Carolina Tar Heels in the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Men

Michael Jordan is a Chicago icon for his greatness with the Bulls, where he was arguably the greatest player in NBA history. As a Chicago White Sox farmhand, well, it was a different story.

In the NBA, Michael Jordan is a legend. Teams are still looking for the “Next Jordan,” hoping to find that next player to transcend the game and impact every facet of the game. In the early 1990’s, Jordan was in his prime, scoring at will and taking over the game whenever he wanted. That is why it was such a surprise when he walked away from basketball to play baseball with the Chicago White Sox, citing his father’s love of the game as to why he wanted to give baseball a shot.

Well, he played in the White Sox minor league system. After struggling during Spring Training in 1994, the White Sox sent Jordan down to AA Birmingham. It was on this day in 1994 that Jordan started his journey is professional baseball, making his debut with the Barons.

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Not only did the Barons have a bad day in a 10-3 loss, but Jordan did not fare well either. He was hitless in his debut, setting the tone for a difficult year in Birmingham. Spending the entire season in AA, Jordan had a .202/.289/.266 batting line, hitting three home runs and stealing 30 bases. While he showed solid speed, Jordan was also caught stealing 18 times. Defensively, the outfield was a bit of an adventure, as Jordan made eleven errors.

Jordan may well have made a bigger impact for the Barons off the field. He purchased a 45 foot bus with reclining seats and a lounge area for the team, which they used through 2002. The bus, which Jordan signed, is still in use today, making trips between Washington DC and New York City.

The next year, Jordan returned to the hardwood, where he would go on to win three more championships and continue his dominance before retiring a second time. He came back three years later, spending two seasons with Washington before hanging his sneakers up for good. He went into ownership, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Next: Hank Aaron becomes new home run king

Michael Jordan may not have had much success on the diamond, but his season in the Chicago White Sox farm system was certainly noteworthy.

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