Jim O’Donnell: Anniversary of Jordan’s Chicago debut a stark contrast to the current local sports malaise
FORTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, an NBA rookie named Michael Jordan participated in his first preseason practice with the Bulls.
There was no glitzy red carpet at Angel Guardian gym. Three wise men didn't appear bearing gifts. Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1984 did not light up the northern sky (thank you Leo Tolstoy, Dave Malloy and Van Halen).
The flashback comes to mind in part because of the dire straits currently engulfing almost all of Our Town's five major sports teams.
Jerry Reinsdorf and his pathetic White Sox are a civic drain. The Bulls, the Cubs and the Bears loll along with blurry hopes of uptick as their only beacons. “Shane Waldron” is the new bad-call code for local sports ops disconnect.
Only the Blackhawks and shimmering gold-line teen Connor Bedard appear probable for some kind of ascendancy.
JORDAN'S BOW DIDN'T EVEN COMMAND highest sports headlines way back then.
The top of the pages belonged to Rick Sutcliffe and the '84 Cubs. They had just clinched the National League East. Steve Garvey and the San Diego Padres awaited in the NLCS. The games would include the first MLB postseason play at Wrigley Field since 1945.
Memories of Jordan's landmark day at Angel Guardian vary.
His Airness himself has long said he doesn't remember that much about Day 1. He reiterated that stance while dodging Hurricane Helene this week.
Dave Corzine, the team's starting center that autumn, recently said: “We all knew Michael had a big rep from North Carolina and that rep had only gotten bigger because of the (1984 Los Angeles) Olympics. But I guarantee that no one at Angel Guardian that day had any idea of all that was to come.”
A REMARKABLY DETAILED ACCOUNT comes from Bill Hazen. The Arlington High grad (Class of '68; Butler University '72) was then in his second season as a Bulls play-play man. He worked Sportsvision telecasts alongside John “Spanky” Mengelt.
Said Hazen: “Yes, I was there. I remember every moment of it. Michael had joined the team late, due to the unique nature of the contract involved. As I remember it, he joined the team during a Thursday evening practice.
“Angel Guardian Gym was dusty with poor lighting. Many teams practiced in facilities similar to it during that era. The court ran east and west. It was an old Bulls court from Chicago Stadium, put back into service.
“Michael came in and sat on the southwest end of the gym. The Bulls were going through their plays on the east end. Coach Kevin Loughery signaled for him to take the court for practice. The two of them shook hands in the west foul circle. They were both smiling. This is the memory of Jordan that is burned into my consciousness. It was the moment just before he touched an NBA basketball.”
HAZEN CONTINUED: “For the few people watching practice, it would now be just moments before we all found out what Jordan would bring to the Bulls. There was a level of quiet anticipation and excitement about it. The few of us there would be the first to know if Michael Jordan was 'for real.'
“Within five minutes, I knew. He was a slicer, cutter, dunker and off-the-ball defender. 'How is it that we didn't see any of this in college,' I wondered. A basketball player knows instinctively when they can be beaten by another player. I noticed this right away when watching Jordan in practice. The players who tried to guard him gave him a huge cushion, fearful that Jordan could blow right by them.
“Jordan was so spectacular that I had doubts about what I was seeing. 'Is this guy as good as he looks,' I thought to myself. 'If he is, this guy is going to tear up the league!'
HAZEN WASN'T ALONE in his astonishment:
“I looked at Kevin Loughery to see how he was reacting. He had his right hand extended over his mouth, but I could see a smile behind it. I looked at Bulls assistant Freddie Carter. His smile was much more obvious. He looked at me, as if to say, 'Boy, are we going to have fun this year.'
“When I left the gym, I realized that I was one of seven or eight media people who knew the secret … MJ was indeed for real. It occurred to me that if he took his game to NBA arenas, the drafting of Michael Jordan by Bulls GM Rod Thorn had the potential to be the greatest managerial achievement in Chicago sports history.”
And it was.
And Sunday, when beleaguered Caleb Williams and the Bears host the Rams at Soldier Field (noon, Fox), the Jordan debutante moment will seem like it was 40 light-years ago.
Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.