Michael Jordan, one of the greatest sports personalities of all time, once left basketball for a $5/hour job. This may come as a big surprise since he had already amassed a fortune of $500 million when he retired in 2003. However, he retired once again before that, back in 1993.
Incidentally, that was the same year MJ’s father died and it had a big influence on the sudden turn of events. Michael Jordan, one of the richest sports stars of all time, took a job for the minimum wage to feature in a different sport altogether.
Humble Michael Jordan once worked in a minimal-wage profession
Michael Jordan retired from the NBA for the first time in 1993. The same year he also lost his father, James Jordan. Jordan’s father’s impact on his life cannot be ignored and he himself does not stop mentioning it.
After his father’s death, Jordan decided to try out baseball with the Birmingham Barons. The media was surprised by Jordan’s abrupt career change, but he addressed the rumors head-on, saying,
“I was gonna do it anyways. I had plans to do it anyways. He’s tried to talk me into doing it a couple [of] years before now and I wasn’t ready and I guess in doing it now it’s like a thank you to him.” It was reported that Jordan was making $5 an hour while playing in the minor baseball league. He also opened up about his father’s role in his baseball career.”
It was reported that Jordan was making only $5 an hour while playing in the lower leagues, which only served to further demonstrate his will to carry out his father’s final desire and show his appreciation. Michael Jordan was an influence on innumerable others beyond the field of athletics throughout his whole life. Jordan still motivates many people all around the world with his passion and strong ethics toward his family and the game of basketball.
Who is Michael Jordan’s Father? Exploring the tragic story
Deloris and James R. Jordan Sr. (MJ’s parents) both were instrumental in Michael Jordan’s early exposure to sports and in molding his character, but Jordan shared a special bond with his father. He made an effort to include him in activities, teaching him important lessons about life via sports. James R. Jordan Sr., a former soldier turned mechanic, bonded deeply with MJ through their shared passion for baseball. They discovered a common interest by going to minor-league baseball games together. He was the kind of person who always stressed the value of utilizing athletics to instill discipline and create a sense of community in the lives of young people.
Michael Jordan’s father, James Jordan Sr., tragically passed away in July 1993. James’s violent murder shocked people across the globe. According to the authorities, it was a random act of violence. James got shot in the chest by two teenagers while he was napping in his car on a North Carolina highway. Later they stole his car and disposed of his body in a creek 60 miles away from the crime scene.
“It made me realize how short life is, how quickly things can end, how innocently,” MJ later said while announcing his retirement after his father’s tragic death. “And I thought that there are times in one’s life when you have to put games aside. I wanted to give more time to my family. I’ve been very selfish about centering things on my basketball career. Now it’s time to be unselfish with them.”
Michael’s life was greatly aided by having James Jordan as a continuous mentor and source of encouragement. Jordan became an all-time great in basketball due to determination and work ethic, a great deal of which, he got from his father.
