The Nightly – Drowsy History Week: Michael Jordan's Baseball Era

Podcast: The Nightly (Hatch Podcasts)
Hosts: Mat (A) & Jack East (B)
Date: January 22, 2026

Overview

In this cozy episode, Mat and Jack settle into the Hatch Pillow Fort for “Drowsy History Week,” focusing on one of sports pop culture’s most surprising chapters: Michael Jordan’s brief mid-90s career as a baseball player. This bedtime chat blends storytelling and friendly banter, making even sports history feel like a fireside story at a slumber party.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter: Holidays, Family, and Travel (01:01–06:55)

• The hosts reflect on the seemingly endless holiday season (from Halloween to Valentine’s Day); Jack shares, “That’s the hill I’m gonna die on” (01:28) about November–February being a continuous spending spree.
• Discussion contrasts UK and US holiday traditions, travel difficulties in the US, and a memorable 50-hour train journey from Florida to Chicago.
  • Memorable moment: “We slept twice on that train at night.” – Jack (05:40)

2. Introducing Drowsy History: Michael Jordan’s Jump to Baseball (06:55–08:51)

• Jack proposes a round of “Drowsy History”—a relaxed, memory-based storytelling game (06:55).
• The chosen topic is Michael Jordan’s exit from basketball and venture into baseball, a move that “permeated pop culture” (07:37).

3. Setting the Context: Michael Jordan, the Unbeatable Legend (08:51–11:01)

• Recap of MJ’s 1993 status: three back-to-back championships, global superstardom, and a close bond with his father.
• Shockwaves from his sudden retirement announcement in the summer of 1993, described as “the best player in all of all time... retiring from basketball” (11:01).

4. Motivation for Baseball—Family and Loss (09:28–11:01)

• The hosts discuss the deep personal impact of MJ's father’s murder, which led Jordan to retire and pursue their shared love—baseball.

5. The Baseball Chapter Begins: The Birmingham Barons (11:01–13:34)

• MJ signs with the Chicago White Sox’s AA affiliate, the Birmingham Barons, due to White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s influence.
  • “Jerry Reinsdorf was like, 'I gotta keep this dude close…'” – Jack (12:26)
• Jordan bypasses the usual baseball minors trajectory, jumping straight to AA—unprecedented for a total novice.

6. Life in the Minors & Clubhouse Fame (13:34–15:29)

• While some might have resented MJ’s leapfrogging, players “loved it” because he upgraded their experiences and brought huge attention to minor league baseball.
  • “More media attention was focused on a minor league baseball team than the New York Yankees at that time.” – Jack (14:18)
• MJ’s presence turns teammates into semi-celebrities; he buys TVs and improves buses for the team.

7. On-Field Performance & The Challenge of Baseball (15:29–18:46)

• Michael Jordan is candidly evaluated: “He sucked. He wasn’t great at baseball.” – Jack (15:34)
• The hosts discuss the difficulty of hitting a baseball, with Jack providing an impromptu physics lesson (16:56).
• Mat expresses awe at the “bravery” of the catcher and umpire, and shares his own aversion to fast, hard balls (17:12).

8. Jordan’s Growth in Baseball and the 1995 MLB Strike (18:46–19:40)

• Jordan improves, showing signs he could eventually reach MLB if given another season.
• MLB strike halts everything; MJ refuses to cross the picket line as a “replacement player,” signaling the end of his baseball stint.

9. The “I’m Back” Moment & Return to the Bulls (19:40–22:40)

• Jordan starts playing casual basketball again, regaining his old passion.
• His legendary return is announced via a simple two-word fax: “I’m back.” (21:40)
  • “He did it in the coolest way of all time.” – Jack (21:40)
• Returns wearing #45 (his baseball number), then switches back to iconic #23 after a rival’s taunt: “That Michael Jordan, a little bit slow. That ain’t number 23 right there.” – Jack quoting Nick Anderson (22:04)
• Jordan reclaims his crown, wins three more NBA titles.

10. Reflecting on the Myth & Media Treatment (22:40–24:32)

• Mat highlights the American romance of the story, contrasting it to British media’s likely ridicule: “Loser is a loser.” (23:29)
• Jack counters that MJ did face criticism, but ultimately earned respect for his work ethic: “He was the first one, like, at the practice facility. He was the last one to leave. He put in the work.” (24:03)

11. Endearing Wrap-up: Newfound Baseball Knowledge (24:32–25:11)

• Mat, never aware of this chapter in MJ’s life, thanks Jack for the lesson and summarizes, “I’m really getting a timeline down of baseball now, which I never, ever thought would be possible.” (24:57)
• The hosts bid each other goodnight, their conversation leaving listeners with both trivia and warm bedtime vibes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Extended Holiday Season:
  “It’s just nothing but three months of spending money. And that’s the hill I’m gonna die on.”
  – Jack (01:28)
• On the Bonfire Night Tradition:
  “Bonfire night is essentially, there was a guy who… tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and didn’t succeed. … We have big bonfires where we still burn effigies of Guy Fawkes.”
  – Mat (02:38)
• On Minor League Fame:
  “More media attention was focused on a minor league baseball team than the New York Yankees… all these players are becoming, like, known to the public, so they're kind of like becoming stars as well.”
  – Jack (14:18)
• On Hitting a Fastball:
  “A 95 mile per hour fastball coming from that mound to the plate takes almost a second to get there. Your brain can’t process information faster than 0.4 seconds, which means you have 0.6 seconds to not only decide do I swing at this ball… It's one of the hardest things to do in sports is hit a baseball.”
  – Jack (15:34)
• On Jordan’s Legendary Return:
  “He did it in the coolest way of all time. He sent a fax… which is two words, 'I’m back.' And that was it.”
  – Jack (21:40)
• On American vs. British Sports Culture:
  “If that happened in England…a football player decided to sort of jack it all in and go and do another sport, he'd be ridiculed… There wouldn’t be this big Hollywood moment.”
  – Mat (22:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Holiday Season & US/UK Traditions: 01:01–06:55
• Game Introduction – Drowsy History: 06:55–08:51
• MJ's Retirement & Baseball Switch: 08:51–13:34
• Life in the Minors & Team Impact: 13:34–15:29
• The Hardest Sport – Baseball: 15:29–18:46
• Jordan’s Baseball Improvement & MLB Strike: 18:46–19:40
• MJ’s Return (“I’m Back”): 19:40–22:40
• Media/Sports Culture Reflections: 22:40–24:32
• Wrap-up / Takeaways: 24:32–25:11

This relaxed but detailed retelling of Michael Jordan’s “baseball era” is warm and inviting—even for listeners who don’t care about sports—mixing historical facts, pop culture, and plenty of friendly humor. If you ever wondered if the world’s greatest basketball player really “sucked” at baseball, this is the bedtime tale for you.