Terry Francona Shares Story Of Playing In Pickup Basketball Game With Michael Jordan

When Michael Jordan played minor league baseball his manager was Terry Francona, who now coaches the Cleveland Indians. Terry had a funny story about playing pickup up with MJ during those baseball days...

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The apartment complex I lived in, and it wasn't in a great area, it had a blacktop basketball courts and it had chain nets. Champ and Barney, they were sitting behind me and popping off about basketball. They were just messing around, but Michael's ears perked up. The next thing you know, we're at my apartment complex on the blacktop shooting hoops. And you know, word of mouth doesn't take very long. The next thing you know there's guys from the neighborhood that have come in and we're playing five-on-five and I'm scared to death. I'm thinking I'm going to lose my job. I'm what, 33 years old, I got four kids, and I'm going to lose my job. It should've been televised. Watching what he did... It amazed me when you put a basketball in his hands, how strong he looked. And then when you put a bat in his hand how normal he looked. It was amazing to me.

[Jordan] was getting irritated at a guy who was trying to push him around a little bit. He pointed to the guy and goes, 'Hey, I'm going right there.' And I'm like, 'Oh, no.' I went over to set a pick, and he picked the ball up, put it under the crook of his arm, and he goes, 'Get outta here.' So I waddle away kind of embarrassed. He took one step, and I remember thinking, 'Ah, no, this is not going to end well.' The rim was bent, he came crashing down, he had slammed the ball through the chain-link net and knocked the guy down. He was standing over him and said 'Don't ever talk to me in my house.' And I'm like, 'Game's over! That's it. Time to go home.' We had seen enough. I'm glad I saw it, but I also wanted to keep my job.
- Terry Francona

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