**March 18, 1995......**
I was working at WVMP, AM100 Radio in Chicago. I had just wrapped up my weekly Saturday show with radio partner and former Chicago Bulls/Cincinnati Royals guard Norm Van Lier. It was a beautiful day in Chicago. We were walking down the hallway on the 37th floor of our studios in the John Hancock Building in downtown Chicago.
I happened to hear the sound of our sports office fax machine start to crank up. I don't know why, but I decided to turn around and walk back to check the fax.
I stood over the machine, waiting for the transmission. Little did I know all that was about to change. The fax paper started to slide from the machine. The first half of the page was blank. Then the words appeared: I'm Back
It was a statement released from Michael Jordan, through his agent, David Faulk.
Michael Jordan was returning to the NBA 18 months after announcing his retirement.
I almost passed out. I ran to catch Norm, who was waiting at the elevator, yelling, "Norm!, we've gotta go back on the air!"
Our station was in syndicated programming. We broke in and spent the next couple of hours taking calls from Bulls fans.
Jordan was 31 years old at the time. He's already won three rings and two MVP awards when he walked away from the NBA. The shocking decision followed the tragic murder of his father, but included whispers of a possible gambling suspension from NBA commissioner David Stern.
At the time of his return, the Bulls were muddling along at 34-32. Amazingly, Jordan would suit up the next day as the Bulls visited the Indiana Pacers at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. Jordan scored 19 points, but hit just 7 of 28 shots in his 43 minutes. The Bulls lost 103-96.
10 days later, Jordan dropped a double-nickel, 55 points on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
He would play the final 17 games of the regular season, averaging 26.9 points. The Bulls disposed of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, 3-1. But were then knocked out by Penny Hardaway, Shaq and the Orlando Magic in the semi-finals by, 4-2.
But Jordan returned with a vengeance the following season. The Bulls would win the next three NBA titles, completing their second 'three peat". Jordan averaged 30.4, 29.6 and 28.7 over those seasons, winning two more MVP's.
Still hard to believe, 29 years later.