"What they said was totally wrong": Michael Jordan was once livid with Sports Illustrated after they mocked him and his baseball team
One of the keys to the success of Michael Jordan in his career was that he was never afraid of failure. That wasn't limited to basketball only. Jordan was willing to try and succeed in other fields too. That included businesses and pro-baseball.
In 1994, as a tribute to his father, who died a year ago, MJ tried his hands at baseball at the time and signed a minor-league contract with Chicago White Sox. Nothing went as planned for the NBA great, who struggled heavily in his first season.
After his debut game, in which he went 0-for-3 in a 10-3 loss to the Lookouts in front of 10,000 fans and 100+ media members, Sports Illustrated mocked him and his team for their shambolic loss.
The title of their cover read:
"Bag It, Michael! Jordan and the White Sox are Embarrassing Baseball"
27 years ago today: SI tells Michael Jordan to give up his baseball career.
Jordan begins his silent treatment.
He hasn’t spoken to Sports Illustrated since. pic.twitter.com/kCe3o7heVc
Jordan certainly didn't appreciate SI mocking him. He never interviewed for them again. MJ reflected on this during an interview with ESPN during the 1997-98 season, saying:
"I think I would have been a major league player if I'd played baseball all along. That's the problem I still have with Sports Illustrated. I haven't talked to them since they had that cover ["Bag It, Michael! Jordan and the White Sox are Embarrassing Baseball"], and I'm going to hold to it. What they said was totally wrong. Totally wrong."
"They didn't even have an understanding of the situation. I mean, if they would have at least investigated things, they would have known what I was doing. But they made their own assumption. I mean, isn't America all about trying? The other day I saw Garth Brooks trying to play baseball. And he's older than me, isn't he?"
Michael Jordan hit. .202, struck out 114 times and committed 11 errors. He stole 30 bases and drove in 51 runs. It's important to note he was playing baseball after high school. Playing pro baseball after such a long time was always going to be an uphill task.
Click here to read Jordan's interview with ESPNMAG.com.
Michael Jordan could've made it in baseball if not for the worst strike in baseball history
Michael Jordan struggled in his first season in pro baseball. However, he made significant improvements in his game the following year. According to former Chicago Sox batting coach Mike Barnett, Jordan would've been a "legitimate extra outfield for the White Sox, maybe even a starter," had he played two full seasons.
Michael Jordan once got bored and said what the hell I'll just become a MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER pic.twitter.com/gzVi1hSU2x
However, one of the worst work stoppages in MLB history shortened Jordan's baseball stint. With owners trying to create a salary cap for players in the 1994-95 season, the World Series got canceled, and the strike lasted until March 1995.
Michael Jordan ended his baseball stint by then and returned to the NBA. It remains one of the 'what ifs' for Jordan had the strike never happened.