James Jordan was a serviceman and then a textile worker. He studied mechanics under the G.I. Bill and married the former Deloris Peoples. They loved their children.
One son was athletic. James taught and encouraged him. In baseball the kid was good, but in basketball he was extraordinary.
After the son grew up, James was murdered as he slept in his car alongside a highway on a road trip. His body was dumped in a swamp and recovered 10 days later, badly decomposed and identifiable only by dental records. His murderers looted his car.
Among the items the murderer’s stole were two NBA Championship rings given James by that son, Michael.
MJ lives in rarified air with Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky and Pele. He’s one of the very greatest.