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Hanes (founded in 1901) and Hanes Her Way (founded in 1986) are brands of apparel currently owned by the HanesBrands, Inc Corporation (NYSE: HBI). The Hanes brand is used by the company for marketing a broad range of apparel essentials:

• Innerwear
  • Women's underwear, such as bras, panties and bodywear
  • Men's underwear and undershirts
  • Kids’ underwear and undershirts
  • Socks

• Outerwear
  • Activewear, such as performance t-shirts and shorts
  • Casualwear, such as t-shirts, fleece and sport shirts

• Hosiery

In September 2006, Sara Lee Corporation spun off its branded apparel Americas and Asia business as a separate company called Hanesbrands Inc., which designs, manufactures, sources and sells a broad range of apparel essentials. The company's portfolio of brands include Hanes (its largest brand), Champion (its second largest brand), Playtex (its third largest brand), Bali, Just My Size, Barely There, Wonderbra, L’eggs, C9 by Champion, Duofold, Beefy-T, Outer Banks, Sol y Oro, Rinbros, Zorba and Ritmo.

The brand's two main competitors are Fruit of the Loom and Jockey.

Advertising[link]

During the 1970s and 1980s, their women's hosiery tagline was "Gentlemen Prefer Hanes". In the early nineties, the slogan was turned around as "The lady prefers Hanes".

During the late 1990s, the brand's main slogan was "Just wait'll we get our Hanes on you."

In the 2000s, an ad campaign began for their Hanes "Go Tagless" T-shirt, featuring various celebrities including Michael Jordan, Phillip Brooke, BIG Ben Kennedy, Jackie Chan, and Brian Regan.

In 2005, an ad campaign was run with the slogan "Look who we've got our Hanes on now", featuring various celebrities including Michael Jordan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Marisa Tomei, Damon Wayans, Matthew Perry, and on Spanish-language advertising, Aracely Arámbula, and Pablo Montero. In 2006, the campaign added Kevin Bacon and Christina Applegate to their lineup. In 2007, the campaign expanded again to include Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Sarah Chalke in 2008.

As of July 2008, Charlie Sheen joined Michael Jordan as the next Hanes celebrity spokesman. The commercials (along with the previous Cuba Gooding, Jr. commercials) were created by writer Brett Baker and Art Director David McKay of The Martin Agency in Richmond, Virginia.

Controversy[link]

Like other clothing companies, Hanes has come under criticism for outsourcing its manufacturing to factories around the world, many of which are sweatshops.^[1]

From October 2006 to November 2007, customers buying at the hanes.com website were submitting their credit card info over an unencrypted HTTP connection despite using an order form that appeared to be secure.^[2][3]

In 1947 James Hanes, the hosiery magnate who started the brand, founded along with Dr. Clarence Gamble of Proctor & Gamble the Human Betterment League of North Carolina, driving the eugenics movement in North Carolina, which sterilized 7,600 people who were deemed unworthy of having children -- including black girls who had been raped and were for this reason considered "promiscuous", poor children from large families, people with epilepsy and those considered too “feeble-minded” to raise children^[4].

References[link]

1. ^ No Logo by Naomi Klein, Knopf Canada, 2000.
2. ^ "Matthew Elvey, CTO — The Elvey Partnership (IT Consulting Group)". http://www.elvey.com/it/SPRs..html. Retrieved 22 November 2010. 
3. ^ "Mozilla Bugzilla Bug 358858 – Spurious Security warning?". Mozilla Foundation. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=358858. Retrieved 22 November 2010. 
4. ^ Severson, Kim (9 December 2011). "Thousands Sterilized, a State Weighs Restitution". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/10/us/redress-weighed-for-forced-sterilizations-in-north-carolina.html. Retrieved 10 December 2011. 

External links[link]

• Official site
• Hanesbrands Company Site
• Sara Lee Corporation
• Hanesbrands Europe
• Celebrate in comfort

v t e Lingerie Upper torso Types of bras (History) Balconette brassiere • Bandeau • Cupless bra • Male bra • Nursing bra • Push-up bra • Sports bra • Training bra • Underwire bra Other Babydoll • Bustier • Camisole • Negligee • Torsolette Lower torso Bikini • Boyshorts • French knickers • Girdle • Girl boxers • Panties • Tanga • Tap pants • Thong (G-string) Full torso BodyBriefer • Corsage • Corset • Corselet • Nightshirt • Playsuit • Slip • Teddy Hosiery Garter • Knee highs • Pantyhose • Stocking Historical Basque • Bustle • Chemise • Crinoline • Farthingale • Hoop skirt • Liberty bodice • Pannier • Pantalettes • Petticoat • Pettipants • Waist cincher • Yếm Accessories Falsies • Lingerie tape Brands Aerie • Agent Provocateur • American Apparel • Andrés Sardá • Baby Phat • Bali • Berlei • Bruno Banani • Calvin Klein • Chantelle • DKNY • Formfit • Frederick's of Hollywood • Fruit of the Loom • Gerbe • Gilly Hicks • Hanes • HerRoom • Intimissimi • Intimo Lingerie • Jockey • Jolidon • La Senza • Maidenform • No Nonsense • Olga Intimates • Passport Panties • Peach John • Playtex • Pretty Polly • Trashy Lingerie • Triumph International • Ultimo • Underalls • Valisere • Van de Velde • Vassarette • Victoria's Secret • Wacoal • Warner's • Wolford • Wonderbra • XTG Extreme Game

v t e Hosiery Lower leg Bobby socks Bootee Knee highs Leg warmer Loose socks Socks Tabi Toe socks Crew sock Dress socks Anklet Low cut Full leg Fully fashioned stockings Hold-ups Leggings Legskin Pantyhose Stocking Tights Historical Boothose · Hose Brands Aerie Aristoc Frederick's of Hollywood Gerbe Gilly Hicks Hanes HanesBrands Jockey International L'eggs Levante No Nonsense Pretty Polly Spanx Victoria's Secret VienneMilano Wolford

Sarah Chalke
Chalke in December 2008
Born	(1976-08-27) August 27, 1976 (age 35) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Other names	Sarah Louise Christine Chalke Sarah Cassandra Chalke
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1984–present
Parents	Douglas and Angie Chalke

Sarah Chalke ( /ˈtʃɔːk/; born August 27, 1976) is a Canadian-American actress known for portraying Dr. Elliot Reid on the NBC/ABC comedy Scrubs, "Second Becky" Conner Healy on Roseanne, and Stella Zinman in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.^[1] She most recently starred in the CBS sitcom Mad Love, which aired during the spring of 2011. As of 2012, she is now guest-starring in ABC's sitcom Cougar Town.

Early life[link]

Chalke was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is the middle of the three daughters of Douglas and Angie Chalke. Her mother is originally from Rostock, Germany. According to a Scrubs commentary track, she used to attend the German school in her hometown twice a week. Her first language is English, but she speaks German fluently and French fairly well; this was incorporated into her Scrubs character, Elliot Reid, who also speaks German and French at the same skill levels. Chalke graduated from Handsworth Secondary School in North Vancouver in 1994.

Career[link]

Chalke's acting career began at the age of eight when she began appearing in musical theatre productions. At 12, she became a reporter on the Canadian children's show KidZone. In 1993, she took over the role of Rebecca Conner-Healy on Roseanne after Lecy Goranson left the series; she made a cameo appearance as a different character in the Roseanne episode "Halloween: The Final Chapter" (#178, originally aired October 31, 1995). She returned briefly to Canada where she starred in the CBC Television drama Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy (1998–1999).

In 2001, she was cast as Dr. Elliot Reid in the NBC comedy series Scrubs. She has appeared in several feature films, including Ernest Goes to School and Cake. She appeared in Channel 101's The 'Bu with The Lonely Island, a parody of the hit show The O.C., but was credited as "Pamela Fenton". In 2007, she appeared as a supporting character in Chaos Theory, which starred fellow Canadian Ryan Reynolds. In 2008, Chalke became the spokesperson for a line of women's underwear by Hanes that included a series of commercials directed by her Scrubs co-star Zach Braff.^[2][3] In 2008 and 2009 she made appearances in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother as Stella Zinman. In the spring of 2011, she starred in the CBS television series Mad Love, a romantic comedy which debuted as a midseason replacement and was cancelled after only one season was produced.^[4] Chalke has been signed by former Scrubs, and current Cougar Town executive producer, Bill Lawrence to play a love interest in the series Cougar Town. She is set to appear in multiple episodes.^[5]

Activism[link]

Chalke lost her aunt and grandmother to breast cancer that was undiagnosed while in its early stages. Chalke has since encouraged breast cancer detection and prevention, and starred in the Lifetime movie Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy.^[6] She is an ambassador for the Audrey Hepburn Children's Foundation. Chalke also made an appearance in a short video parodying the National Organization for Marriage's "Gathering Storm" advertisement opposing same-sex marriage.^[7] She is also the 2009 ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure(R) program, for which she also designed a T-shirt.^[8]

Personal life[link]

She is engaged to lawyer Jamie Afifi, with whom she has a son, Charlie Rhodes Afifi, born December 24, 2009.^[9][10]

Her father is a lawyer in private practice in Vancouver. Her parents operate an adoption agency that specializes in placing foreign orphans (primarily Chinese) with Canadian families. Her elder sister Natasha is also a lawyer, and she has a younger sister named Piper.

Filmography[link]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sarah Chalke

• Sarah Chalke at the Internet Movie Database

LaMichael James

James receives an award in January 2010.
No. 23     San Francisco 49ers
Running Back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1989-10-22) October 22, 1989 (age 22)
Place of birth: New Boston, Texas
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Weight: 195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
College: Oregon
NFL Draft: 2012 / Round: 2 / Pick: 61
No regular season or postseason appearances
Career history
San Francisco 49ers (2012–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Unanimous All-American (2010) First-team All-Pac-10 (2010) Doak Walker Award (2010) NCAA rushing leader: 1,731 yards (2010) Oregon Ducks career rushing leader Pac-12 Championship Game MVP (2011)

LaMichael Keondrae James (born October 22, 1989) is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). The 2010 NCAA college football season was a breakout one for James, as he rushed for 1,682 yards during the regular season, the highest in the nation. He finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and received the Doak Walker Award. In 2011 he became Oregon's career rushing leader and rushed for a school-record 1,805 yards that season. He is considered to be one of the top running backs throughout his college career, with his 5,082 total rushing yards placing him 2nd in Pacific-12 Conference history and 14th in NCAA history. The 49ers selected James in the second round with the 61st pick in the 2012 Draft.

College career[link]

After the suspension of LeGarrette Blount, James became the starting running back for the Ducks in 2009. He helped the Ducks to upset victories over Utah and California with 152 and 118 rushing yards, respectively.^[1] He again rushed for over 100 yards on October 10 against UCLA with 152 yards on 20 carries.^[1]

Once again, James eclipsed the 100 yard mark with 154 yards rushing on 15 carries against Washington on October 24, and on October 31 with 183 yards to upset then #5 USC.^[2][3] He led all BCS-conference running backs with 6.9 yards per carry.^[4]

On December 7, 2009, James was named Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year.^[5]

On March 12, 2010, head coach Chip Kelly announced that James would be suspended for the season opening game of the 2010 season, following his guilty plea for physical harassment against his former girlfriend.^[6]

Against Portland State James rushed for 227 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns in a 69-0 shutout win, the Ducks' second shutout on the year. The next week against Arizona State James was held to only 94 rushing yards, but the total was enough to move James past the 2,000 yard mark for his career. Against Arizona James rushed for 126 yards, 2 touchdowns and surpassed LeGarrette Blount's single season scoring record. James had a season high against the Stanford Cardinal by garnering 3 touchdowns, and 257 yards on 31 rushes. Over the course of the season James had eclipsed the century mark 9 times, only failing to reach 100 yards twice. All in all James has had 18 100+ rushing yard games in his career, a record at the University of Oregon.

Despite missing the first game of the 2010 season, due to suspension, James managed to break the Pac-10 all-time sophomore single season rushing record, and the country in both rushing yards (1,682) and touchdowns (22), ultimately earning a trip to the annual Heisman Ceremony in New York as a finalist. As a result of James' season success he received the 2010 Doak Walker award, given to best running back in the country, along with earning Consensus 1st team All-American, and Pac-12 All-Academic awards. The Ducks finished regular season play undefeated (12-0) and ranked #2 in both the BCS and the AP poll. They played the top-ranked Auburn Tigers in the 2011 BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona. In that game, James had two touchdown receptions, including one that set up the game-tying two-point conversion. Nevertheless, James' season ended with disappointment when Auburn kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired for a 22-19 win.

In the first game of the 2011 season against LSU, James became Oregon's career rushing leader, surpassing the mark previously set by Derek Loville. In the 3rd game of the season against Missouri State, James ran for 204 yards, 3 touchdowns, and for his 4th career 200+ yard rushing game. On September 24 in a game against Arizona, James rushed for an Oregon single game record of 288 yards on 24 carries.^[7]

On October 6, 2011, against California, ESPN radars clocked James at 24 MPH. Also on October 6, 2011, in the same game against California, James fell awkwardly on his right arm and left with an air cast. In a post-game statement, he announced X-rays were negative for a break and that he had suffered a dislocated elbow but popped it back into place before leaving the field.^[8]

On December 2, 2011, James won the Pac-12 Championship Game MVP, while rushing for 3 touchdowns.

On January 2, 2012, James rushed for 159 yards on 25 carries with one touchdown to help Oregon beat Wisconsin 45-38 in the Rose Bowl He was drafted 61st in second round of the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers on 4/27/2012.

Personal life[link]

James was raised by his maternal grandmother in Texarkana, Texas. His father was killed prior to his birth and his mother was in and out of his life. His grandmother died of cervical cancer when he was a junior in high school, after which LaMichael chose to live by himself in their home for the remainder of his time at Liberty-Eylau High School.^[9]

Physical harassment

On February 17, 2010, James was arrested on charges of domestic violence.^[10][11] On March 12, 2010, James pleaded guilty to physical harassment, receiving 24 months probation.^[12] Following the guilty plea, it was announced that James would be suspended for the first game of the 2010 season.^[6] Given the publicity and resulting gossip surrounding the matter, a sentencing memorandum was released detailing the official events of the evening.^[13]

Awards and honors[link]

• 2010 Doak Walker Award
• 2010 Heisman Trophy finalist (3rd)
• 2010 Premier Player of College Football Trophy finalist (3rd)
• 2010 AFCA All-American^[14]
• 2010 First Team AP All-American
• 2010 FWAA All-American^[15]
• 2010 WCFF All-American^[16]
• 2010 First Team All-Pac-10^[17]
• 2010 Pac-10 First-Team All-Academic
• 2009 Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year^[5]
• 2009 Sporting News Third Team All-American^[18]
• 2009 AP Third Team All-American^[19]
• 2009 Rivals.com Second Team All-MLG team ^[20]
• Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week, twice (Oct. 31, 2009,^[21] Oct. 4, 2010)
• Oregon's career rushing leader

See also[link]

• List of Division I FBS rushing touchdown leaders

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: LaMichael James

• ESPN.com profile
• GoDucks.com profile

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls in 1997
No. 23, 45, 9, 12
Shooting guard / Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1963-02-17) February 17, 1963 (age 49) Brooklyn, New York
High school	Emsley A. Laney
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	216 lb (98 kg)
Career information
College	North Carolina (1981–1984)
NBA Draft	1984 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Pro career	1984–2003
Career history
1984–1993, 1995–1998	Chicago Bulls
2001–2003	Washington Wizards
Career highlights and awards
6× NBA Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) 5× NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991–1992, 1996, 1998) 14× NBA All-Star (1985–1993, 1996–1998, 2002–2003) 6× NBA Finals MVP (1991–1993, 1996–1998) 10× NBA scoring champion (1987–1993, 1996–1998) 3× NBA steals champion (1988, 1990, 1993) NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988) 10× All-NBA First Team (1987–1993, 1996–1998) All-NBA Second Team (1985) 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1988–1993, 1996–1998) NBA Rookie of the Year (1985) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1985) 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998) 2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1987–1988) NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team #23 Retired by Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat NCAA Champion (1982) 2× Consensus NCAA All-American First Team (1983–1984) ACC Player of the Year (1984) Oscar Robertson Trophy (1984) Naismith College Player of the Year (1984) John R. Wooden Award (1984) Adolph Rupp Trophy (1984)
Career statistics
Points	32,292 (30.1 ppg)
Rebounds	6,672 (6.2 rpg)
Assists	5,633 (5.3 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time."^[1] Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.^[2]

After a three-season career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship team in 1982, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as a league star, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness". He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball.^[3] In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat". Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball at the beginning of the 1993–94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 NBA season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Washington Wizards.

Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances, three All-Star Game MVP awards, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and highest career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game). In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today.^[4] Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam as himself. He is the majority owner and head of basketball operations for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, having won a bidding war to buy controlling interest in the team from founding owner Robert L. Johnson.

Jordan is sometimes referred to simply by his initials MJ.^[5]

Early years[link]

Michael Jordan's jersey in the rafters of The Dean Smith Center

Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Deloris (née Peoples), who worked in banking, and James R. Jordan, Sr., an equipment supervisor. His family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, when he was a toddler.^[6] Jordan attended Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, where he anchored his athletic career by playing baseball, football, and basketball. He tried out for the varsity basketball team during his sophomore year, but at 5'11" (1.80 m), he was deemed too short to play at that level. His taller friend, Harvest Leroy Smith, was the only sophomore to make the team.^[7]

Motivated to prove his worth, Jordan became the star of Laney's junior varsity squad, and tallied several 40 point games.^[7] The following summer, he grew four inches (10 cm)^[1] and trained rigorously. Upon earning a spot on the varsity roster, Jordan averaged about 20 points per game over his final two seasons of high school play.^[8][9] As a senior, he was selected to the McDonald's All-American Team^[10] after averaging a triple-double: 29.2 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 10.1 assists.^[11]

In 1981, Jordan earned a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in cultural geography. As a freshman in coach Dean Smith's team-oriented system, he was named ACC Freshman of the Year after he averaged 13.4 points per game (ppg) on 53.4% shooting (field goal percentage).^[12] He made the game-winning jump shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game against Georgetown, which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing.^[1] Jordan later described this shot as the major turning point in his basketball career.^[13] During his three seasons at North Carolina, he averaged 17.7 ppg on 54.0% shooting, and added 5.0 rebounds per game (rpg).^[8] He was selected by consensus to the NCAA All-American First Team in both his sophomore (1983) and junior (1984) seasons. After winning the Naismith and the Wooden College Player of the Year awards in 1984, Jordan left North Carolina one year before his scheduled graduation to enter the 1984 NBA Draft. The Chicago Bulls selected Jordan with the third overall pick, after Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets) and Sam Bowie (Portland Trail Blazers). Jordan returned to North Carolina to complete his degree in 1986.^[14]

Professional career[link]

During his first season in the NBA, Jordan averaged 28.2 ppg on 51.5% shooting.^[12] He quickly became a fan favorite even in opposing arenas,^[15][16][17] and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the heading "A Star is Born" just over a month into his professional career.^[18][19] Jordan was also voted in as an All-Star starter by the fans in his rookie season.^[1] Controversy arose before the All-Star game when word surfaced that several veteran players, led by Isiah Thomas, were upset by the amount of attention Jordan was receiving.^[1] This led to a so called "freeze-out" on Jordan, where players refused to pass him the ball throughout the game.^[1] The controversy left Jordan relatively unaffected when he returned to regular season play, and he would go on to be voted Rookie of the Year.^[20] The Bulls finished the season 38–44,^[21] and lost in the first round of the playoffs in four games to the Milwaukee Bucks.^[20]

Jordan's second season was cut short by a broken foot which caused him to miss 64 games.^[1] Despite Jordan's injury and a 30–52 record,^[21] the Bulls made the playoffs. Jordan recovered in time to participate in the playoffs and performed well upon his return. Against a 1985–86 Boston Celtics team that is often considered one of the greatest in NBA history,^[22] Jordan set the still-unbroken record for points in a playoff game with 63 in Game 2.^[23] The Celtics, however, managed to sweep the series.^[20]

Jordan had recovered completely by the 1986–87 season, and had one of the most prolific scoring seasons in NBA history. He became the only player other than Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000 points in a season, averaging a league high 37.1 points on 48.2% shooting.^[12] In addition, Jordan demonstrated his defensive prowess, as he became the first player in NBA history to record 200 steals and 100 blocks in a season. Despite Jordan's success, Magic Johnson won the league's Most Valuable Player Award. The Bulls reached 40 wins,^[21] and advanced to the playoffs for the third consecutive year. However, they were again swept by the Celtics.^[20]

Mid-career: Pistons roadblock[link]

Jordan led the league in scoring again in the 1987–88 season, averaging 35.0 ppg on 53.5% shooting^[12] and won his first league MVP award. He was also named the Defensive Player of the Year, as he had averaged 1.6 blocks and a league high 3.16 steals per game.^[24] The Bulls finished 50–32,^[21] and made it out of the first round of the playoffs for the first time in Jordan's career, as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.^[25] However, the Bulls then lost in five games to the more experienced Detroit Pistons,^[20] who were led by Isiah Thomas and a group of physical players known as the "Bad Boys".

In the 1988–89 season, Jordan again led the league in scoring, averaging 32.5 ppg on 53.8% shooting from the field, along with 8 rpg and 8 assists per game (apg).^[12] The Bulls finished with a 47–35 record,^[21] and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, defeating the Cavaliers and New York Knicks along the way. The Cavaliers series included a career highlight for Jordan when he hit The Shot over Craig Ehlo at the buzzer in the fifth and final game of the series.^[26] However, the Pistons again defeated the Bulls, this time in six games,^[20] by utilizing their "Jordan Rules" method of guarding Jordan, which consisted of double and triple teaming him every time he touched the ball.^[1]

The Bulls entered the 1989–90 season as a team on the rise, with their core group of Jordan and young improving players like Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, and under the guidance of new coach Phil Jackson. Jordan averaged a league leading 33.6 ppg on 52.6% shooting, to go with 6.9 rpg and 6.3 apg^[12] in leading the Bulls to a 55–27 record.^[21] They again advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals beating the Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers en route. However, despite pushing the series to seven games, the Bulls lost to the Pistons for the third consecutive season.^[20]

First three-peat[link]

In the 1990–91 season, Jordan won his second MVP award after averaging 31.5 ppg on 53.9% shooting, 6.0 rpg, and 5.5 apg for the regular season.^[12] The Bulls finished in first place in their division for the first time in 16 years and set a franchise record with 61 wins in the regular season.^[21] With Scottie Pippen developing into an All-Star, the Bulls had elevated their play. The Bulls defeated the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening two rounds of the playoffs. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals where their rival, the Detroit Pistons, awaited them. However, this time the Bulls beat the Pistons in a surprising sweep.^[27][28] In an unusual ending to the fourth and final game, Isiah Thomas led his team off the court before the final seconds had concluded. Most of the Pistons went directly to their locker room instead of shaking hands with the Bulls.^[29][30]

The Bulls compiled an outstanding 15–2 record during the playoffs,^[27] and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history, where they beat the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one. Perhaps the best known moment of the series came in Game 2 when, attempting a dunk, Jordan avoided a potential Sam Perkins block by switching the ball from his right hand to his left in mid-air to lay the shot in.^[31] In his first Finals appearance, Jordan posted per game averages of 31.2 points on 56% shooting from the field, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks.^[32] Jordan won his first NBA Finals MVP award,^[33] and he cried while holding the NBA Finals trophy.^[34]

Jordan and the Bulls continued their dominance in the 1991–92 season, establishing a 67–15 record, topping their franchise record from 1990 to 91.^[21] Jordan won his second consecutive MVP award with averages of 30.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game on 52% shooting.^[24] After winning a physical 7-game series over the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs and finishing off the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals in 6 games, the Bulls met Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in the Finals. The media, hoping to recreate a Magic-Bird rivalry, highlighted the similarities between "Air" Jordan and Clyde "The Glide" during the pre-Finals hype.^[35] In the first game, Jordan scored a Finals-record 35 points in the first half, including a record-setting six three-point field goals.^[36] After the sixth three-pointer, he jogged down the court shrugging as he looked courtside. Marv Albert, who broadcast the game, later stated that it was as if Jordan was saying, "I can't believe I'm doing this."^[37] The Bulls went on to win Game 1, and defeat the Blazers in six games. Jordan was named Finals MVP for the second year in a row^[33] and finished the series averaging 35.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, and 6.5 apg, while shooting 53% from the floor.^[33]

In 1992–93, despite a 32.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 5.5 apg campaign,^[24] Jordan's streak of consecutive MVP seasons ended as he lost the award to his friend Charles Barkley. Coincidentally, Jordan and the Bulls met Barkley and his Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. The Bulls captured their third consecutive NBA championship on a game-winning shot by John Paxson and a last-second block by Horace Grant, but Jordan was once again Chicago's catalyst. He averaged a Finals-record 41.0 ppg during the six-game series,^[38] and became the first player in NBA history to win three straight Finals MVP awards.^[33] He scored more than 30 points in every game of the series, including 40 or more points in 4 consecutive games. With his third Finals triumph, Jordan capped off a seven-year run where he attained seven scoring titles and three championships, but there were signs that Jordan was tiring of his massive celebrity and all of the non-basketball hassles in his life.^[39]

Gambling controversy[link]

During the Bulls' playoff run in 1993, controversy arose when Jordan was seen gambling in Atlantic City, New Jersey the night before a game against the New York Knicks.^[40] In that same year, he admitted to having to cover $57,000 in gambling losses,^[41] and author Richard Esquinas wrote a book claiming he had won $1.25 million from Jordan on the golf course.^[41] In 2005, Jordan talked to Ed Bradley of the CBS evening show 60 Minutes about his gambling and admitted that he made some reckless decisions. Jordan stated, "Yeah, I've gotten myself into situations where I would not walk away and I've pushed the envelope. Is that compulsive? Yeah, it depends on how you look at it. If you're willing to jeopardize your livelihood and your family, then yeah."^[42] When Bradley asked him if his gambling ever got to the level where it jeopardized his livelihood or family, Jordan replied, "No."^[42]

First retirement and baseball career[link]

Michael Jordan while playing with the Scottsdale Scorpions

On October 6, 1993, Jordan announced his retirement, citing a loss of desire to play the game. Jordan later stated that the murder of his father earlier in the year shaped his decision.^[43] James R. Jordan, Sr. was murdered on July 23, 1993, at a highway rest area in Lumberton, North Carolina, by two teenagers, Daniel Green and Larry Martin Demery. The assailants were traced from calls they made on James Jordan's cellular phone,^[44] caught, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison. Jordan was close to his father; as a child he had imitated his father's proclivity to stick out his tongue while absorbed in work. He later adopted it as his own signature, displaying it each time he drove to the basket.^[1] In 1996 he founded a Chicago area Boys & Girls Club and dedicated it to his father.^[45][46]

In his 1998 autobiography For the Love of the Game, Jordan wrote that he had been preparing for retirement as early as the summer of 1992.^[47] The added exhaustion due to the Dream Team run in the 1992 Olympics solidified Jordan's feelings about the game and his ever-growing celebrity status. Jordan's announcement sent shock waves throughout the NBA and appeared on the front pages of newspapers around the world.^[48]

Jordan then further surprised the sports world by signing a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox. He reported to spring training and was assigned to the team's minor league system on March 31, 1994.^[49] Jordan has stated this decision was made to pursue the dream of his late father, who had always envisioned his son as a Major League Baseball player.^[50] The White Sox were another team owned by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who continued to honor Jordan's basketball contract during the years he played baseball.^[51] In 1994, Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a Double-A minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, batting .202 with three home runs, 51 runs batted in, 30 stolen bases, and 11 errors.^[9] He also appeared for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the 1994 Arizona Fall League, batting .252 against the top prospects in baseball.^[52] On November 1, 1994, his number 23 was retired by the Bulls in a ceremony that included the erection of a permanent sculpture known as The Spirit outside the new United Center.^[53][54][55]

"I'm back": Return to the NBA[link]

In the 1993–94 season, the Bulls, without Jordan, achieved a 55–27 record,^[21] and lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs. But the 1994–95 version of the Bulls was a shell of the championship squad of just two years earlier. Struggling at mid-season to ensure a spot in the playoffs, Chicago was 31–31 at one point in mid-March.^[56] The team received a lift, however, when Jordan decided to return to the NBA for the Bulls.

On March 18, 1995, Jordan announced his return to the NBA through a 2-word press release: "I'm back."^[1] The next day, Jordan donned jersey number 45 (his number with the Barons), as his familiar 23 had been retired in his honor following his first retirement. He took to the court with the Bulls to face the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, scoring 19 points.^[57] The game had the highest Nielsen rating of a regular season NBA game since 1975.^[58]

Although he hadn't played an NBA game in a year and a half, Jordan played well upon his return, making a game-winning jump shot against Atlanta in his fourth game back. He then scored 55 points in the next game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 1995 (his first appearance at Madison Square Garden since retiring).^[20] Boosted by Jordan's comeback, the Bulls went 13-4 to make the playoffs and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Orlando Magic. Though at the end of Game 1, Orlando's Nick Anderson stripped Jordan from behind, leading to the game-winning basket for the Magic; he would later comment that Jordan "didn't look like the old Michael Jordan",^[59] after which Jordan returned to wearing his old number. Jordan averaged 31 points per game in the series, but Orlando prevailed in 6 games.^[8]