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“Michael Jordan, please touch our baby”: When the Bulls legend had to entertain requests from superstitious parents and bless their young children

Amulya Shekhar
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"Michael Jordan, please touch our baby": When the Bulls legend had to entertain requests from superstitious parents and bless their young children

The 90s were a strange time in human history. Michael Jordan was a God-like figure in sports, so to speak. And he was also the subject of a few superstitions.

Michael Jordan is undoubtedly the most famous team athlete in American sports history. He was the first basketball player to have a truly global appeal. In fact, his visibility in the USA is still higher than LeBron James, who’s been at the top of the game for a decade and a half.

This visibility was great for him in terms of his financial and social standing. It helped him relaunch Nike to the world as America’s finest sportswear brand. His association with the Swoosh is now bordering on 37 years old.

Also Read: “Dennis Rodman survived his suicidal thoughts because of Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam”: When the Bulls and Pistons legend stayed true to himself and lived on

Parents would ask Michael Jordan to touch and bless their babies

Tim Grover was the personal trainer for His Airness through most of his life in basketball. The renowned physio says that the fandom he saw for Mike is unlike anything he’s seen in the past:

“If you watch the old videos of The Beatles, how people used to surround them, that’s how it was with him (Jordan) wherever he went.”

“Individuals would literally hand their children and just say, ‘Touch my baby’ because they thought he had this like magical powers. It was the craziest thing.”

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Many sporting superstars have built a brand as larger-than-life characters, but no one was more successful than MJ at this. His individual greatness, artistry on the court and team achievements combined to make him the complete package.

Also Read: “Kyrie Irving gave off Dragonfly Jones vibes”: Damian Lillard takes a hilarious shot at the Nets star after Irving attempts the ‘Dame-Time’ celebration

All in all, the fact that parents were so superstitious about his aura speaks volumes about his impact on everyone.

About the author

Amulya Shekhar

Amulya Shekhar

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Amulya Shekhar is a sports junkie who thrives on the thrills and frills of live sports action across basketball, football (the American variant works too), parkour, adventure sports. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically.

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