It’s been a while since I reviewed one of ESPN’s outstanding 30 for 30 documentaries, so let’s get back on the bandwagon.

The WWL’s next offering will be Jordan Rides the Bus, which will debut this Tuesday night (8/24) at 8:00p.m. ET.  The film, directed by Ron Shelton (of Bull Durham fame), documents Michael Jordan’s foray into the world of professional baseball.

The film begins looking back at the Chicago Bulls’ 1993 NBA championship, its third in a row.  The focus, as has been the case in it’s previous championship runs, was the play by Jordan, arguably the best player in NBA history.

A little over a month later Jordan’s father James goes reported missing.  He is found found in early August the victim of murder.  With the ties to his father strong, Jordan alerts Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Head Coach Phil Jackson in October that he had lost his desire to play basketball and he would retire.  He also told Reinsdorf that his father’s wish was for him to play baseball.

Speculation ran rampant, even to this day, that the elder Jordan’s death was in retaliation to Michael’s obsession with gambling, and that he was forced out of the game by NBA Commissioner David Stern because of it.  Shelton only dabbled into the subject briefly, with the assertion that there has been no evidence to substantiate that claim.

As owner of the White Sox Reinsdorf signed Jordan to play for the Chicago organization and invite him to major league spring training in 1994.  A baseball player in high school, Jordan never batted higher than .280, and served as a pitcher.  He would play the outfield for the White Sox.

As expected, a throng of media greeted Jordan and the White Sox for spring training in February of 1994.  During that time Sports Illustrated writer Steve Wulf penned a story critical of Jordan’s attempt to become a major league baseball player.  In the film Wulf defended his piece, the it was an indictment of Jordan’s chances to succeed, not his right to try out for the club.

Jordan was eventually sent down to the White Sox’ Double A affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama.  Much was made of the impact his appearance had in the community, from the house he rented, to the record crowds that followed him at home and on the road.

In the film Shelton portrays Jordan as an extremely hard worker off the field.  Jordan said his attempt at baseball was not a publicity stunt and he never wanted to be given special treatment in trying to make it to the major leagues. Shelton talked to White Sox personnel to proclaim that Jordan was not taking a spot from a more promising prospect and he was treated as just one of 24 players on the team.

Jordan started the season slowly, but finished the season batting .202, with three homers and 51 RBI’s.  He added 30 stolen bases and had seven game winning hits.  Jordan would also play a stint in the Arizona Fall League that year where he batted over .250.

The 1994-1995 baseball players’ strike, in effect, put an end to Jordan’s baseball career. He could not bring himself to cross the picket line after being a player’s rep during his time with the Bulls.  Jordan would return to the Bulls and deliver three more NBA titles to Chicago.

Watching the film one could say Shelton was defending Jordan’s decision to play baseball, from the portrayal of his improvement through the season to when of Wulf wrote a follow-up story for SI, in effect saying his spring training evaluation was wrong.  SI never published the article.

Shelton documented the story of Jordan’s attempt at baseball well, but did not unveil any new information about the events surrounding his decision.  I’m not sure if Shelton should have delved more into the gambling issue especially if, in fact, nothing was left to uncover.

I’d say Jordan Rides the Bus is just an average entry in the 30 for 30 series.

Here is the trailer for the film: