Michael Jordan - Baseball Star Quiz

Answer: AA

The Birmingham Barons are a member of the Southern League and play at the AA level. The Barons played in Hoover Memorial Stadium, in Hoover, AL (a suburb of Birmingham) from 1988 to 2012. While the Barons won the Southern League pennant in 1993, in 1994, the team had a record of 65-74 and placed last in the West Division and ninth out of ten teams in the Southern League. The team as a whole finished towards the bottom in batting and pitching.

The other minor league affiliates of the Chicago White Sox during the 1994 season included the Nashville Sounds (AAA) in the Pacific Coast League, the Prince William (VA) Cannons (High A) of the Carolina League, the South Bend (IN) Silver Hawks (A) of the Midwest League, and the GCL White Sox (Rookie) of the Gulf Coast League.

Answer: Mendoza Line

Mario Mendoza (born 1950) was a Mexican-born Major League Baseball Player (1974-1982) was a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners who was known more his defensive skills than his offensive prowess. Though Mendoza had a career batting average of .215, the term was used to describe his batting average during the 1979 season which stayed close to .200 during the season and finished at .198.

For Michael Jordan, his batting average of .202 represents him getting a hit 20.2% of the time (88 hits out of 436 at-bats). Though his average was not great, Jordan earned the respect of hitting coach Walt Hrinnak, who described Jordan as "Disciplined. Focused. Determined. More so than anyone I ever saw", drawing a comparison between Jordan and Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski in terms of determination.

Answer: Terry Francona

Terry Francona (born 1959) would manage the Philadelphia Phillies (1997-2000), Boston Red Sox (2004-2011), and Cleveland Indians (since 2013). Under his leadership, the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 and 2007. He was the manager of the Birmingham Barons from 1993 to 1995, posting a 223-203 record and leading the team to the 1993 Southern League championship.

Sportswriter Steve Wulff described Jordan and Francon as still "staying in touch" twenty-five years later, with Francona saying that he learned quite a bit about managing from managing Jordan. Jordan is described as getting along well with the other players on the Barons, but also bonding well with the coaches, many of whom were closer to him in age than the other players on the team. For instance, Francona is only four years older than Jordan.

Answer: His father

James Jordan, Jordan's father, was murdered at a highway rest area in North Carolina on July 23, 1993, by two teenagers who carjacked Jordan's automobile. Though Michael Jordan had previously considered retiring from the National Basketball Association, his father's murder helped push him in that direction. Jordan announced his retirement from the Chicago Bulls on October 06, 1993. Citing his father's dream that he become a Major League Baseball player, Jordan announced he had signed a Minor League contract on February 07, 1994 with the Chicago White Sox. Both the Bulls and the White Sox were owned by Jerry Reinsdorf.

One of the great what-ifs of sports is what would Jordan have done if he had stayed with the Chicago Bulls whom he helped lead to NBA championships in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998.

Answer: Walks

Jordan's 497 plate appearance in 1994 include 88 hits and 51 walks. The strike zone for a player is defined as an area the width of home plate and between a player's knees and mid torso. A taller player like Michael Jordan (6 feet, 6 inches) would have a larger than average strike zone and typically draw fewer walks. Jordan's 51 walks shows relative plate discipline.

On-base percentage shows how often a batter makes on base rather than getting put out or causing an out. A player who gets on because of a fielder's choice (throwing the ball to a base other than first), an error (a mistake) by a fielder, or a third strike that is dropped by the catcher would find their OBP and batting average lowered.

Answer: Greenville Braves

The first one against the Carolina Mudcats on July 30th may have been the most significant to Jordan as he hit it on the day before his deceased father's birthday. The second home run was a three-run shot against the Knoxville Smokies on August 8. The third home run, hit on August 20, was part of a late-season spurt for Jordan that would push his batting average above .200 for the season.

Answer: Right Field

Jordan was primarily used in right field. Jordan had 230 chances with plays in right field. Of these, he had 213 putouts, 6 assists, and 11 errors (tying the lead for the Southern League that season.) He had a fielding percentage of .952 for the season and turned one double play (two outs).

Answer: The MLB strike

Major League Baseball had a work stoppage from August 12, 1994 to April 2, 1995. The strike had led to the first cancelled World Series since 1904. With members of Major League Baseball on strike it was a distinct possibility that minor league players would be called up to fill team rosters. Michael Jordan, as described by several individuals, had no interest in being caught in this situation. Since it was considered at least a real possibility that Jordan would make an MLB roster in a normal season, it was a real possibility that he would do so with the special circumstances of the 1995 season.

He announced in March 1995 that he was leaving baseball, resigning with the Chicago Bulls on March 18, 1995.

Answer: Scottsdale Scorpions

The Scottsdale Scorpions play at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, AZ. Unlike the Southern League in which the Birmingham Barons play, the Arizona Fall League includes players from several minor league levels from A to AAA. The Scottsdale Scorpions are affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Francisco Giants. With the Scorpions, against a wider range of competitions, Michael Jordan had a .252 batting average.

Answer: The team bus

The Jordan Cruiser was a luxury bus which Michael Jordan helped arrange the team get. Covering a large area of the southeastern United States, some road trips for the Birmingham Barons could involve 12 hours or more on the road. The bus included a lounge area and was used by the team until 2002, when it was repurposed for several things. Michael Jordan placed his signature on a prominent spot on the exterior of the bus. The signature, covered in plastic, still can be found on the bus today.

Michael Jordan was able to steal 30 bases during the 1994 season, but was caught stealing (and put out) 18 times.