Michael Jordan 'Flu Game' Shoes Shatter Auction Records
By Lisa White in News on Dec 12, 2013 7:00PM
Preston Truman might be one of the smartest childhood investors in sports history today, after a pair of signed Michael Jordan shoes the former ball boy owned sold for $104,765 earlier this morning. The price shatters the current record paid for game-worn shoes in any sport. That's $104,765 or 1,976 bone-in filet mignons at Jordan's steak house.
The former Utah Jazz ball boy was able to own the shoes after becoming friendly with Jordan after he fetched Jordan his traditional superstitious pregame applesauce during the 1996-97 season. When the Bulls returned to play the Jazz in the Finals later that year, Jordan remembered the ball boy and after a brazen request from Truman offered up his signed game-worn shoes. The kicker being that these are the shoes Jordan wore during his famous “Flu Game” when despite sickness (apparently from bad pizza, we’re sure not Chicago deep dish) Jordan scored 38 points and lead the Bulls to victory in game five of the series. The Bulls would go on to win their fifth title with game six.
Besides his story already being ripe for blockbuster sports film, Truman also was able to provide a photo of Jordan signing the shoes for him. “I think my photo that Jordan’s bodyguard took with me standing there drove up the price because buyers didn’t have to worry if they were real, Truman told ESPN.com.
Truman also told ESPN.com that the proceeds from the auction would not go to anything “overly exciting” and would go towards his children’s college education and car payments. Maybe a family visit to Chicago to pay respects at United Center for the good fortune could enter the mix as well? Truman’s luck will continue; he also has a pair of game-used shoes Jordan wore in the 1998 finals.
So kids, forgot those scholarships and after school jobs to help offset the cost of college. Invest in applying to be a ball boy and collect every shoe you can. The future isn’t in gold or oil but instead discarded sneakers from the elite.