Michael Jordan's forgotten autographed baseball bat found in a trunk by fan after 13 YEARS

Michael Jordan left the NBA to go play baseball in 1993, playing with the Minor League Baseball team Birmingham Barons under a Chicago White Sox. While a Michael Jordan autographed baseball has been auctioned before, autographed bats have seldom been sold. Recently, Hollywood actor and stuntman Tony Todd revealed that he found his autographed baseball bat in the trunk of his car after 13 years.

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Fan finds Michael Jordan autographed baseball bat after forgetting about it for 13 years

In 1994, Jordan made two hits during an Arizona Fall League game with the Scottsdale Scorpions, which he then signed for Tony Todd. Todd, who often visits softball games, forgot he had the bat – a Louisville Slugger, C-271 model, 34 inches and 32 ounces. Though Todd, who has worked as a stuntman on movies like Black Panther, will auction the bat soon. 

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#MichaelJordan’s game-worn and autographed Air Jordan 1s have sold for $560,000 USD. This #Sothebys auction sets a new world record for the highest price sold for any sneaker, surpassing the previous record of $437,500 USD for #Nike’s Waffle Moon Shoe.
Photo: Sotheby’s pic.twitter.com/5tw2lv5J1d

— HYPEBEAST (@HYPEBEAST)

Ever since The Last Dance released earlier this year, the price of Michael Jordan (and other NBA) memorabilia has skyrocketed. Jordan's game-worn Nike shoes, that he wore in 1985, were sold for $560,000. Earlier, a Michael Jordan autographed baseball when he was around 13 years old, was reportedly auctioned off for around $50,000. In 1976, Jordan played baseball with the Parkers Food Stores for the Babe Ruth League youth baseball team in Wilmington, North Carolina. He signed the ball after they won the championship. 

Also read | Michael Jordan nearly chose NFL over MLB after retiring in 1993: David Halberstam

The baseball bat will be sold starting Saturday on Memory Lane. While talking to USA TODAY Sports, Todd stated that though he does not want to give the bat away, he is aware that there might not be many Jordan-signed baseball bats from 1994. Todd's bat is accompanied by a photograph he took with Jordan, along with a certificate of authenticity. 

Also read | Michael Jordan autographed baseball could sell for over $50,000 at auction: Report

Todd revealed that when he remembered the bat, he ran like "Carl Lewis". He couldn't find it at first but later remembered that it was lying in the trunk of his 1966 Pontiac LeMans. Looking back to that November 1994 day, Todd reminisced how he was called to meet Jordan after his game. Jordan remembered Todd's work in the "Little Big League" and treated him as the celebrity. Todd even spent the day with the six-time NBA All-Star and also met NBA icon, Charles Barkley. 

Memory Lane's partner and sports expert on Pawn Stars Daniel Wulkan spoke about special times and how The Last Dance has boosted their value. "Prices have exploded. The industry is absolutely on fire," Wulkan said. As per Wulkan, "probably the only Jordan-used bat" will draw in a lot of interest, which is only heightened with the "whole story" which accompanies it. 

(Image credits: MLB Twitter)