?That Ax, That Blood, That Kerosene, That Pain?: 5 Year Old Michael Jordan?s First Memory Was of Howling in Pain

On top of being one of the greatest athletes of all time, Michael Jordan was a true iron man of the sport. He rarely missed games, be it for personal reasons or injuries. This could possibly be due to the fact that he endured a rather painful accident when he was just five years old. Coincidently, it is also the first memory on earth of the six-time NBA champion.

MJ played against some tough teams at a time when physicality and roughness weren’t frowned upon. While he had to go through various obstacles on his way to greatness, MJ never backed down from any challenge. As a child, Jordan almost cut his toe off with an ax while cutting wood.

As most kids do, Jordan was all about goofing around and having fun. Although his family didn’t appreciate him swinging the ax around as he did, there was no one who could stop him. However, once, he accidentally brought the ax down on his toe which resulted in blood gushing out. Somehow, his toe didn’t completely rip off, and it was just flapping back and forth.

A lady who was apparently skilled in medical emergencies was called to help the crying five-year-old. Things got even worse for Jordan. Instead of pouring alcohol on the wound, she mistakenly poured kerosene, which led to Jordan howling in pain.

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While things didn’t end as badly as they would have expected, Jordan was forever scarred. That’s the first thing he can remember about life on earth. Being the youngest sibling, Jordan was often at the receiving end of loads of love and punishments. This could have ended with him getting grounded.

Michael Jordan was a true Iron Man

MJ went through some of the toughest teams in NBA history. The ‘Bad Boy’ Pistons are considered the dirtiest team the league has ever seen. They were the biggest thorn in Jordan’s side and he had to overcome that obstacle, which eventually opened the doors for unparalleled success for the Chicago Bulls legend.

Jordan never missed more than four games in a season except for in his sophomore year, when he broke his foot. MJ played the full quota of 82 games eight times in his career. With the amount of rest the current players get, it is unfathomable to think that someone of Jordan’s stature rarely missed games.

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It is a testament to his greatness and possibly the reason why he was so successful. What are your thoughts on Jordan almost losing a toe as a child? Let us know in the comments.