“I’m going to play with Michael Jordan”: When the Bulls legend’s Birmingham Barons teammate tried to evade a speeding ticket by using his name

Michael Jordan played for minor league team Birmingham Barons for a while during his baseball career. This incident from that time indicates his fame.

The Bulls legend was the planet’s most well-recognized athlete in the time period preceding social media. What Jordan did on the court looks futuristic even today, and his level of fame matched or even exceeded that.

You’ve seen fans line up to welcome Brazilian Ronaldo, Argentinian Messi and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo since that time. But what you haven’t seen is their shoe line going into market and basically monopolizing it – especially for young kids.

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On one occasion, one of his Birmingham Barons teammates from minor league baseball tried to use his name to wiggle out of a speeding ticket.

Birmingham Barons pitcher tries to evade speeding ticket by name-dropping Michael Jordan

Mike Bertotti was a teammate of Michael Jordan during his time in the Triple-A. But before the two ever even met, Bertotti tried to take advantage of their association to make a speeding ticket go away.

The pitcher was moving on a North Carolina highway, and he was apparently way over the speed limit. He was pulled over by a police officer when he said:

“‘Listen, sir, I apologize that I’m going a little fast. I gotta report to the Birmingham Barons baseball team, I just got promoted.’ I even showed him my White Sox equipment bag in my backseat. I said, ‘I’m going to play with Michael Jordan. Obviously you know Michael Jordan.’”

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Bertotti’s efforts may have sounded humorous, but they didn’t save him from the speeding ticket. He had to pay for his offense to the legislating officer. But he did go on in latter days to talk smack at MJ while hitting a 3 in his face.