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Sunday, January 31, 1999 By Barbara Cloud
Michael who?
Michael Jordan. Who's that? Never heard of him.
Are you laughing? Wondering what the joke is? How could anyone not know Michael Jordan, the most recognizable face and name in the country, basketball's preeminent player and the world's best-known athlete?
There was a time when the "hoopla" (a very appropriate term for Jordan frenzy) didn't exist. I just wish I could remember the exact year I found myself wanting when it came to a Jordan souvenir for my son.
I am going to guess it was about 15 years ago. Jordan had helped North Carolina win an NCAA championship in 1982 and was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1985, but I can assure you that I had "never heard of him" in a T-shirt shop in New York City.
When you have children and your job takes you out of town at times, you must always come home with a little item. I've taken him peanuts and napkins from the airplane when all else failed, and that worked for a time.
But quite often I would be away from home at the end of January and his birthday, Feb. 3, would be fast approaching. So something from New York had some added excitement, particularly if it was sports-related.
So, this particular year, off I go to a T-shirt store. I was surprised they had no shirts already made up with Michael Jordan's name, and when I asked for such an item, a blank stare greeted me across the counter.
"He plays for the Chicago Bulls," I said. Believe me, I learned all I ever knew about sports from my son, Drew. This Jordan fellow was his hero, so nothing else would do.
They could make me a shirt with transfer letters. That was fine. It looked bare, so I thought his number should go on it as well.
Nobody in the store, including a couple of male customers, knew the magical 23. I certainly didn't either, so we were all stymied together.
It just so happened there was a New York Times on the counter. I thought we could look at the sports section and perhaps the Bulls had played the night before. Indeed they had, and there for all to see was a shot of Jordan from the back and those two numbers in plain sight.
We created the shirt, but not without hassle. That was one time.
There was another.
The Jordan magic remained with Drew, and during another search for a birthday gift, I approached Luciano Franzoni, a fashion consultant who lived in Chicago, and I asked if he could find a sweatshirt there for my son.
I spelled the name and number to be on the shirt: Michael Jordan, number 23.
"What does he play?" asked Franzoni.
Well, he was Italian and far from a sports fanatic, but I said, "You mean you don't know, and you live in Chicago?"
To make a long story longer, Franzoni called me back within a few days and said he had looked everywhere but couldn't find a Jordan shirt.
"Lots of Bears' stuff though," he said. "Could you use a Bears' shirt?"
Amazing, as I think about the reputation this beautiful man built in the ensuing years, it's hard to believe there was a day when the whole world was not aware of his talent or what he would come to mean to the youngsters of this country.
Marketing has come a long way, baby.
When Jordan came to Pittsburgh for an exhibition game, we got tickets. By that time, in 1987, we knew who he was for sure. I recall, however, that we were disappointed because he only played in the first half, and we didn't have the opportunity to see him soar or do the superman dunks, the acrobatic maneuvers.
I was glad we went, but I never did get to see Jordan the magnificent, not as I would see him in later years via television. He was a marvel.
In later years, when young boys decided a gold chain was the trendy thing to own, I had a jeweler make a "23" charm, and Drew wore it for awhile with great pride.
When he began playing basketball himself, it simply got in the way. The chain went. I still have the charm.
They formed Jordan's famous number, but more than that, they designated the month and the day Drew was born.
I understand the fascination with Michael Jordan and his number.
But for 28 years the number 23 has been special to me. It's a winner.
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