1994 Michael Jordan Game Worn Birmingham Barons Air Jordan Cleats....

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Sold on Feb 24, 2024 for:

$26,400.00 Bid Source: Internet bidder

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Our national pastime comes calling for the basketball GOAT...

1994 Michael Jordan Game Worn Birmingham Barons Air Jordan Cleats. There are two nearly universally-held opinions about Michael Jordan--he was the greatest basketball player of all time, and his aspirations to become a Major League Baseball player were a silly delusion. However, only the first of those two contentions is accurate. While it's historical fact that His Airness never actually did make it all the way to "The Show," some pretty serious experts believed that path was blocked not by a lack of ability but rather by Jordan's return to his native hardcourt home.

"He had it all--ability, aptitude, work ethic," explained Terry Francona, Jordan's manager with the Barons who would himself find his way to the Bigs, and even World Championship glory, in the years to come. "He was always so respectful of what we were doing and considerate of his teammates...I do think with another 1,000 at-bats, he would have made it." The Oakland A's actually offered Jordan a spot on their twenty-five-man roster, but Jordan refused, intent upon earning his way upwards rather than accepting an artificial boost from his global fame.

This shoe format is a sample produced only for Jordan, and each is marked size "13.5" at interior tongue tags and interior ankles, consistent with the few other known exemplars. Jordan's number "45" worn with the Barons (and ever-so-briefly with the Bulls) is custom-embroidered at each heel beneath a circular "Jumpman" logo. Game wear is strong. Included documentation traces early ownership back to well-known Jordan collector Alan Meza, who first started buying Jordan gear in 1988. Letter of provenance from Alan Meza. LOA from Heritage Auctions.