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The 1980's
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Air Jordan

Air Jordan
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 7
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.74

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    rebounder, defy, gravity, fans, scholarship, factor, academic, series, spectacular, championship, draft, hakeem, quits, record, education, title
     content words:    Sports Illustrated Sportsman, Associated Press, Babe Ruth, Air Jordan, His Airness, Michael Jordan, Michael Jeffrey Jordan, Delores Jordan, New York, When Michael

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Air Jordan
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     In 1991, he was the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. He has been on the cover of the magazine a record 49 times. In 1999, he was named by ESPN as the greatest athlete of the 20th century. The Associated Press listed him in second place behind Babe Ruth for the same title. He had many nicknames. He was called M.J. He was called Air Jordan. He was called His Airness. What kind of man could deserve such titles? To most people, all you have to do is say his name, and they know the greatness that surrounds him. His name is Michael Jordan.
 
2     Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born to parents James and Delores Jordan in Brooklyn, New York, on February 17, 1963. Two brothers and a sister were waiting for him when he was brought home. Another sister would be born later. When Michael was very young, his family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. Michael was an active athlete. He played baseball, basketball, and football while in high school.
 
3     Have you ever wanted to play a sport only to be told you were too slow, or too short, or too small? Michael was told just that. When he was in 10th grade, he was cut from the varsity basketball team. The coaches felt that at 5 feet 11 inches, he was not developed enough to play varsity basketball. That didn't stop Michael. He worked on his physical strength and his basketball skills. That summer he grew four inches. He tried out for the team again and this time he made it. During his last two years in high school he averaged 29.2 points per game, 11.6 rebounds per game, and 10.1 assists. That is called a triple double because his average was in double digits in three different areas of the game.
 
4     Michael accepted a scholarship to the University of North Carolina. Here he played for Dean Smith, at one time the coach with the most wins in his coaching career. Michael led his team to the national championship in 1982.
 
5     Michael left North Carolina in 1984 to pursue a career in professional basketball. Don't think he forgot about his college education. He continued his academic work when he could. He was able to complete a bachelor's degree in geography in 1986.

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