THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: FEBRUARY 7TH

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: FEBRUARY 7TH

 

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JORDAN JOINS THE SOX

1994

Giving him the opportunity to live out a dream, the White Sox signed NBA legend Michael Jordan – who hadn’t played baseball since his senior year in high school -- as a free agent and gave him a non-roster invitation to spring training.

 

After retiring from the NBA following three titles and three MVP Awards with the Bulls, Jordan began working out with White Sox trainer Herm Schneider at Comiskey Park in December. On the day he signed with the Sox, Jordan went through a baseball workout in front of the media at the Illinois Institute of Chicago in the shadows of Comiskey Park.

 

Jordan was signed as an outfielder and was assigned No. 45. Jordan hit .150 in 13 Grapefruit League games before being assigned to the White Sox minor league camp on March 21st. Things didn’t get much easier with the minor leaguers as Jordan’s .154 average showed. The White Sox placed Jordan on Double-A Birmingham’s roster on March 31st.

 

He got a taste of the big time when he started in right field for the Sox in an April 7th exhibition game against the Cubs before 37,825 at Wrigley Field. Jordan went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs as the Sox remained unbeaten against the Cubs since the resumption of the crosstown rivalry in 1984 with a 4-4 tie. Jordan touched relievers Dave Otto and Chuck Crim for hits but was also charged with an error in right field.

 

With the Barons, Jordan hit .202 with three homers, 51 RBIs, 30 steals and a league-leading 11 errors in the outfield as Birmingham played to record crowds throughout the 1994 season. Jordan continued his dream after the season in the Arizona Fall League and instructional league.

 

Jordan went to spring training in 1995 but he retired on March 10. Whether he didn’t want to get mixed up in the contentious labor situation going on at the time (he was listed in the Sox “replacement” players 1995 media guide) or he had grown tired of the criticism (Sports Illustrated put him on a cover flailing at a baseball and told him to “Bag It) or he just wanted to play basketball again, Jordan walked away from baseball quicker than he had picked it up.

 

Eight days later, Jordan announced his return to the NBA with a press release that simply said: “I’m back.”

Edited February 7, 2008 by StatManDu