"Michael Jordan walked with the beer, put the beer down and threw it right in my lap" - 2-time World Series champion tells story of how he made MJ buy him beer
Michael Jordan was a minor league baseball player for a brief period in the '90s. Jordan was not called up to the major league, but received a Spring Training invite. In Spring Training, he was treated like a rookie by some veterans of the Chicago White Sox. One of those players was two-time World Series champion Ozzie Guillen.
During a postgame broadcast, Guillen told the story of how he made several White Sox rookies, including Jordan, buy the team beers. After the team ran out of beers and their bus stopped at a gas station, Guillen, the captain, instructed Mike Cameron, Ray Durham and "His Airness" to buy beers. Jordan obliged, bought several cans and brought them back to the bus.
"Michael Jordan walked with the beer, put the beer down and threw it right in my lap, and said, 'Here's your beer,'" Guillen said.
That time @OzzieGuillen made Michael Jordan buy him beer 😂
"He's a rookie. I was a captain!" https://t.co/JHo9btIHdV
Guillen also praised Jordan for his attitude, stating that MJ never received superstar treatment with the White Sox organization. He also praised the Chicago Bulls legend, calling him the most hardworking guy he has ever seen.
"It was great to have Michael around there," Guillen said. "He wanted to be treated like anybody else. He wasn't gonna be treated like he was in the NBA."
"I've never seen anybody work harder (than Jordan). ... This guy was the first guy to take flips, working hitting with Walter Hriniak. First one everyday, and he never missed a game."
The former White Sox player and manager went on to warn everyone not to play pool against Jordan.
"If Michael Jordan asks you to play pool, say no," Guillen said. "He beat my dad, he just took him to school playing pool."
Michael Jordan's baseball career
Michael Jordan announced his retirement from basketball on Oct. 6, 1993. It was one of the most shocking news stories in NBA history. He signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox four months later. The death of his father, James R. Jordan Sr., contributed to his decision. James wanted his son to become a baseball player.
Jordan played for the White Sox's Double-A affiliate Birmingham Barons, batting .202 with three home runs and 51 RBIs. He struck out 114 times and made 11 errors in the outfield. However, Jordan showed patience at the plate, drawing 51 walks. He also showed his speed and athleticism by stealing 30 bases.
"His Airness" also played for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League a few months later. Jordan went up against some of the best baseball prospects but had a respectable .252 batting average. He quit his baseball career in March 1995 and returned to the NBA.