With The last Dance and the many books about it, we think everything to know on Michael Jordan… But even today, some unpublished stories come to surprise his fans. For example, at the start of his career, he ended up in prison and then in hospital, all in one evening!
Michael Jordan is an excellent basketball player, to put it mildly, he dominated his sport during the 90 ′ decade. 6 league titles, 6 Finals MVP titles, 5 regular season MVP titles… It is almost impossible to imagine someone equaling their record in the next few years, if not maybe LeBron James…
On the other hand, Michael Jordan does not necessarily have the image of a humanist. He has often been criticized for his lack of involvement in American society, and above all, his selfishness is recognized. We remember for example the day when he deprived a hundred children of free shoes by refusing to miss the slightest shot during a training camp!
But over time, some anecdotes offset this bad image. For example, his many multi-million dollar donations to help hospitals in this COVID time are extremely important. And at the start of his career too, he sometimes thought of others. The proof, in 1982, he went to prison to entertain inmates … And he almost lost his life! Donnell Alexander, writer, tells in a book.
In 1982, while in his first year in North Carolina, Michael Jordan participated in the program Weekend of Champions, where athletes go to prison to share with inmates. That day, a martial arts specialist named Mike Crain was also invited, and Jordan wanted to attend his show. He even volunteered for the tour with the samurai swords. The trick is simple: Crain had to cut a watermelon on the belly of the volunteer.
At first Jordan was reluctant, but when Crain questioned his manhood, he lay down on the table. The martial arts expert put a blindfold on, lowered his blade for the first time, which was not enough to cut the watermelon in half. So he had to start over, but the second time, he went a little too hard. Michael Jordan got annoyed because Crain had a hole in his t-shirt, but a few minutes later, he noticed that he also had a hole near the navel. He had to go to the hospital and needed 3 stitches.
Michael Jordan had his stomach cut off by a martial arts expert at the start of his career, fortunately the result was not too dramatic… What is, however, is the reaction of the famous Mike Crain after the ‘incident:
I did this trick 1,750 times, and I only cut 16 people, which is not much. He missed 70 buzzer beaters! The only difference is that my mistakes cost more.
We understand why Michael Jordan has long struggled to reach out to others … He did in charity once, and he almost got cut in two by a saber!
