Michael Jordan Signed Air Jordan 9 ‘Player Sample’ Baseball Cleats | Size 13.5

On October 6, 1993, coming off three consecutive NBA Championships, Michael Jordan shocked the basketball community when he publicly announced his first retirement from the Chicago Bulls, and privately announced to Bulls and White Sox owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, his intention to switch sports. Earlier in the year James R. Jordan (Michael’s father) was tragically murdered, and many believe Jordan’s career change was a tribute to the love that James R. Jordan had for the game of baseball. Jordan played baseball for 13 months during which time he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox’s farm team the Birmingham Barons. 

Finished in the Birmingham Barons color scheme, these cleats are a “Player Sample,” meaning that they were cut to Mr. Jordan's specifications. They are in deadstock condition and never used. The coding on the interior states BBMBY9-940112-FTPS. “940112-FTPS” references that the cleats were produced in 1994 (“94”). “FTPS” means that they were made out of the Feng Tay (“FT”) factory, and are Player Samples (“PS”) cut to Mr. Jordan's personal specifications. The cleats are in Michael Jordan’s size 13.5 (Jordan would wear 13, 13.5, and a combination of both at different points in his career), and have been signed by Michael Jordan in silver ink.

The cleats are accompanied by a certificate from James Spence Authentication in regards to the signature. 

Going Deeper | Michael Jordan and Baseball

In 1994, at the age of 31, Michael Jordan's baseball story officially began as he joined the Chicago White Sox Double-A affiliate, the Birmingham Barons. Jordan, who had not played the sport since his senior year of high school, opted to wear the number 45 just as he had done during his high school days.

Jordan played for a total of 127 games, with 3 home runs and 51 runs batted in. He recorded a .290 OBP (on-base percentage).

Three months into his professional baseball career, he hit his first home run (July 30th, 1994) against the Carolina Mudcats in the eighth inning. The home run was one day before what would have been his father’s 58th birthday.  

After the season with Birmingham, Jordan participated in the Arizona Fall League, batting .252. He even reported to Spring Training in 1995. However, Jordan ended up leaving the sport of baseball in early March and returned to the Chicago Bulls with whom he won three more NBA Championships.