There were some troubling events that followed his third NBA Championship. Jordan's father, James Jordan, pulled over one night to take a nap on his way home, and was murdered by a couple of armed robbers in North Carolina. The NBA also began an investigation into allegations that Jordan had illegally bet on NBA games. He was eventually cleared. These events eventually caused Jordan to lose his motivation and the sense of having to prove something as a basketball player, and he felt it was time to step away from the court.
Jordan sought a new challenge, to play professional baseball. He signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He was assigned to the Birmingham Barons, affiliates of the Chicago White Sox, and played an outfielder position. His presence in the minors grew large numbers in attendance, but his batting was uncharacteristic of Jordan's athletic skills.
English: Former basketball player Michael Jordan
English: Picture of Michael Jordan at a basketball...
English: Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan 1997In his first summer with the Barons, he batted .202 with 114 strikeouts in 127 games. Later in the year he batted .252 with the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League. By November of 1994, the Bulls had retired his number and erected a life-size statue of him in front of the United Center.
On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced "I'm back!" He ended his short-lived career with baseball and rejoined the Bulls near the end of the 1994-1995 regular season, eventually losing to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. "He didn't look like the old Michael Jordan, " said Orlando's Nick Anderson.
Jordan once again had something to prove to the world, that he was still the greatest basketball player to ever play the game, and that he would be even greater in the season to come. Michael Jordan led the Bulls to an astonishing...