Flashback #14: Jordan Retires (1993)

As of 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary on January 3rd, the station has begun to reveal (in chronological order) the Top 100 Chicago Sports Stories that have occurred since they first went on the air 20 years ago. Once all 100 of these "flashbacks" have been revealed, fans will be able to vote for which stories they believe are the most significant in the 20 year history of The Score. To see all of the Flashbacks that The Score has posted so far, please visit 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary page.

October 5, 1993 - Jordan retires

They were the words no Bulls fan ever wanted to hear.

Michael Jordan -- the king of basketball -- was walking away from the game.

The announcement came at a time when Jordan was seemingly at the height of his game. Jordan and the Bulls were fresh off their first three peat as world championships, where Jordan was the NBA Finals MVP in all three. He had won three league MVPs. He was a nine-time All Star. He was a seven-time scoring champion. He was a three-time steals leader. He had been the Defensive Player of the Year. He had been the Rookie of the Year.

Jordan had done it all -- and he said he had lost interest in the game.

Later, it was learned the murder of his father earlier in the year shaped his decision to walk away from the game he loved.

Years later, in his 1998 autobiography titled For the Love of the Game, Jordan expressed that his decision to leave basketball had been something he had been thinking about since his run with the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics.

Without Jordan, the Bulls failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in three years. They finished the season with a 55–27 record and lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs.

Though Jordan walked away from basketball, he didn't necessarily walk away from sports. While on his hiatus from the Bulls, Jordan signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. He reported to spring training and was assigned to the team's Double-A affiliate in Birmingham. Jordan later stated his decision to play baseball was made to pursue the dream of his late father, who had always wanted his son to be a Major League Baseball player.

The Score will continue to release a new Flashback each weekday until they reach 100. Check back tomorrow for a new one, or check out all of the previous Flashbacks: 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary »