My short-lived love affair with Air Jordans

Gym shoes were pretty simple when I was growing up on Chicago’s South Side in the ‘60s — P.F. Flyers, Red Ball Jets … then Converse All-Stars and Chuck Taylor canvas hi-tops when I was in junior high in Lincolnwood in the ‘70s. In high school, wearing adidas suede Tournaments and Nike Arizonas was haute couture for me.

I do remember when leather basketball shoes first came out. The first player I saw wearing leather Nikes was Rudy Tomjanovich of the Houston Rockets against the Bulls in 1975. (Nike was so new at the time, we called those shoes “Nyks” instead of NY-kee)

But for some reason, when Air Jordans came out in 1985 — 40 years ago today (April 1, 1985), in fact — I had to have them. I was totally caught up in the hype, because shoes like that never appealed to me. I bought a pair for $60 (not an exhorbitant price today, but probably three times as much as I had ever spent on a pair of gym shoes) at Sportmart in Niles. I know I was hooked, becauseI also bought another part of the ensemble — Air Jordan shorts and an Air Jordan t-shirt with a mesh overshirt. Not my style, but Jordan’s aura was exploding literally day by day at the time. 

The Air Jordan t-short that was part of the Air Jordan ensemble when the shoes first came out in 1985.

I was working at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat at the time and we would play basketball once a week at West Pine Gym at St. Louis University. I played in those Air Jordans maybe two or three times tops and gave up. To someone who grew up playing basketball in Converse canvas low-tops, those Air Jordans felt like ski boots. 

The Nike "Air Jordan" ad in the paper in 1985. I must have gotten them on sale.

I ditched them, but I didn’t pitch them. And today those same Air Jordans on a shelf in my office are a constant reminder of one of the few times I was caught up in the hype and learned a $60 lesson — don’t get caught up in the hype. 

It was a good investment on multiple levels. Those original Air Jordans — even worn — are selling for much more than $60 today. I did not realize it at the time, but I wasn’t buying shoes. I was buying Michael Jordan. That’s always a smart move.

The power of Michael Jordan: Even worn original Air Jordans sell for big bucks these days.

Magazines with Michael Jordan on the cover are becoming a commodity. This 1987-87 Street & Smith Basketball preview carries a premium because Jordan is wearing original issue Air Jordans.