Brian Jordan
Encyclopedia
Brian O'Neal Jordan is a retired Major League Baseball
outfielder
and National Football League
safety. In the NFL, he played for the Atlanta Falcons
, while he played in the MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals
, Atlanta Braves
, Los Angeles Dodgers
, and Texas Rangers
.
in Randallstown, Maryland
. After graduating from the University of Richmond
, Jordan embarked on a dual baseball and football
career. He was drafted in the first round of the 1988 MLB draft
by the St. Louis Cardinals
. In the 1989 NFL Draft
, he was selected in the 7th round by the Buffalo Bills
, however he was cut in training camp.
While climbing the ladder in the Cardinals' minor league system, Jordan played defensive back for the Falcons from 1989
to 1991
. He had five interceptions
and four sacks
in his brief NFL career.
In June 1992 Jordan signed a new contract with St Louis that gave him a $1,700,000 signing bonus to give up football and play baseball exclusively, ending his football career.
in 490 at-bats. He also flashed his power by hitting 22 home runs and 81 RBIs. He built on his success in , hitting .310 with 104 RBIs and a .349 on base percentage
, playing mostly as the right fielder
and cleanup hitter
for the Cardinals. He also led the major leagues in batting average with the bases loaded. In the postseason that year, Jordan hit .333 in the NLDS
and had a game-winning home run in Game 4 of the 1996 NLCS.
Shrugging off a relatively disastrous and injury-riddled season in which he hit .234 with no home runs, Jordan had possibly the best season of his career in , his last year with St. Louis. He scored 100 runs, saw his power return with 25 home runs, and batted a career-high .316, with an outstanding .534 slugging percentage.
. Jordan had a strong April and May to help carry the Braves early in the season. This propelled him to his only All-Star
appearance. He finished the season with 100 runs again and drove in 115 runs. Jordan was a standout in the 1999 NLDS
for the Braves against the Houston Astros
. He batted .471, had the game-winning double in the 12th inning of Game 3, and drove in seven of Atlanta's 18 runs during the series. He contributed two home runs in the 1999 NLCS, but went 1 for 13 in his only World Series
appearance.
Jordan's batting average and RBI totals dipped in , but in Jordan hit 25 homers with a .295 average and was superb in the final games of the season, helping to push the Braves to their tenth-straight division title after a tight race with the Philadelphia Phillies
and New York Mets
.
with pitcher Odalis Pérez
for Gary Sheffield
.
After a solid season in in which he hit .285, injuries significantly decreased Jordan's playing time in . The aging Jordan signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers
in , but only batted .222 and again missed chunks of time with injuries. In , he returned to the Braves, but he spent most of the season on the disabled list with left knee inflammation while rookie sensation Jeff Francoeur
took over in right field. Relying more on his veteran savvy than athletic ability at this point, he made the team again in , but was limited to a platoon role at first base before again going on the disabled list. Jordan retired as a player after the season.
and SportSouth
. He is active in the Atlanta community with the Brian Jordan Foundation and authored the semi-autobiographical children's book I Told You I Can Play!
In 2009, he was named as a television commentator for the Gwinnett Braves
, the AAA farm team of the Atlanta Braves
. Jordan is paired with Josh Caray
for a 25-game television schedule.http://www.talkingchop.com/2009/3/27/812565/css-to-televise-25-gwinnet
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
safety. In the NFL, he played for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, while he played in the MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Baseball and football
Jordan was a sports star at Milford Mill AcademyMilford Mill Academy
Milford Mill Academy is a four-year public high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is located on the west side of the county close to the Baltimore City border just outside of the Baltimore Beltway.-About the School:...
in Randallstown, Maryland
Randallstown, Maryland
Randallstown is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is named after Christopher and Thomas Randall, two 18th-century tavern-keepers. At that time, Randallstown was a tollgate crossroads on the Liberty Turnpike, a major east-west...
. After graduating from the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, Jordan embarked on a dual baseball and football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
career. He was drafted in the first round of the 1988 MLB draft
1988 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. In the 1989 NFL Draft
1989 NFL Draft
The 1989 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24 , 1989...
, he was selected in the 7th round by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, however he was cut in training camp.
While climbing the ladder in the Cardinals' minor league system, Jordan played defensive back for the Falcons from 1989
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
to 1991
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
. He had five interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
and four sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
in his brief NFL career.
In June 1992 Jordan signed a new contract with St Louis that gave him a $1,700,000 signing bonus to give up football and play baseball exclusively, ending his football career.
St. Louis Cardinals
Jordan made his Major League debut on April 8, 1992 with the Cardinals. He played mostly as a utility outfielder during his first three seasons, but in his first full year, in , he had a deserving season. His stats included 145 hits, 20 doubles, and a .296 batting averageBatting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in 490 at-bats. He also flashed his power by hitting 22 home runs and 81 RBIs. He built on his success in , hitting .310 with 104 RBIs and a .349 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, playing mostly as the right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and cleanup hitter
Cleanup hitter
In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Although the third man up is generally the hitter with the highest batting average, cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best power hitter; their job is to "clean up the...
for the Cardinals. He also led the major leagues in batting average with the bases loaded. In the postseason that year, Jordan hit .333 in the NLDS
1996 National League Division Series
-Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:-Game 1, October 1:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Cardinals and Padres began their rivalry in this series. The Cardinals' first of three postseason victories against the Padres took place here. Their dominance is overwhelming to the tune of only one...
and had a game-winning home run in Game 4 of the 1996 NLCS.
Shrugging off a relatively disastrous and injury-riddled season in which he hit .234 with no home runs, Jordan had possibly the best season of his career in , his last year with St. Louis. He scored 100 runs, saw his power return with 25 home runs, and batted a career-high .316, with an outstanding .534 slugging percentage.
Atlanta Braves
His stats in 1998 helped earn Jordan a $21.3 million contract with the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. Jordan had a strong April and May to help carry the Braves early in the season. This propelled him to his only All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
appearance. He finished the season with 100 runs again and drove in 115 runs. Jordan was a standout in the 1999 NLDS
1999 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Mets:-Game 1, October 5:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaA pitcher's duel between Shane Reynolds and Greg Maddux highlighted Game 1. The Astros struck first in the top of the second when Tony Eusebio singled in Carl Everett. Gerald Williams would tie the game in...
for the Braves against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. He batted .471, had the game-winning double in the 12th inning of Game 3, and drove in seven of Atlanta's 18 runs during the series. He contributed two home runs in the 1999 NLCS, but went 1 for 13 in his only World Series
1999 World Series
The 1999 World Series, the 95th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, featured a rematch between the defending champions New York Yankees against the Atlanta Braves during the month of October, with the Yankees sweeping the Series in four games for their second title in a row,...
appearance.
Jordan's batting average and RBI totals dipped in , but in Jordan hit 25 homers with a .295 average and was superb in the final games of the season, helping to push the Braves to their tenth-straight division title after a tight race with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
Later career
He was involved in a blockbuster trade on January 15, 2002. Atlanta sent him to the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
with pitcher Odalis Pérez
Odalis Pérez
Odalis Amadol Pérez is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. He played with the Atlanta Braves , the Los Angeles Dodgers , the Kansas City Royals , and the Washington Nationals ....
for Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
.
After a solid season in in which he hit .285, injuries significantly decreased Jordan's playing time in . The aging Jordan signed a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in , but only batted .222 and again missed chunks of time with injuries. In , he returned to the Braves, but he spent most of the season on the disabled list with left knee inflammation while rookie sensation Jeff Francoeur
Jeff Francoeur
Jeffrey Braden Francoeur , nicknamed "Frenchy", is a Major League Baseball right fielder who now plays for the Kansas City Royals. Francoeur is known for a strong throwing arm.-Minor league career:...
took over in right field. Relying more on his veteran savvy than athletic ability at this point, he made the team again in , but was limited to a platoon role at first base before again going on the disabled list. Jordan retired as a player after the season.
Post-baseball
Jordan currently serves as a TV pre-game analyst for the Atlanta Braves on Braves Live, the official pregame show on FSN SouthFSN South
Fox Sports South is a regional sports network that airs sports programming in the Southern United States. It is part of the larger Fox Sports Net group of regional sports networks...
and SportSouth
SportSouth
SportSouth is a regional sports network in the United States, with its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. SportSouth, formerly Turner South, relaunched on October 13, 2006...
. He is active in the Atlanta community with the Brian Jordan Foundation and authored the semi-autobiographical children's book I Told You I Can Play!
In 2009, he was named as a television commentator for the Gwinnett Braves
Gwinnett Braves
The Gwinnett Braves are a minor league baseball team in the International League, the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Atlanta Braves. The team was previously the Richmond Braves for 43 seasons . On January 14, 2008, it was announced that the Richmond Braves would move from Richmond,...
, the AAA farm team of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. Jordan is paired with Josh Caray
Josh Caray
Josh Caray was the 2009 television play-by-play announcer for 25 games with the Atlanta Braves Class AAA affiliate, the Gwinnett Braves, where he was paired with Brian Jordan. He also calls football games for the Rome High School Wolves....
for a 25-game television schedule.http://www.talkingchop.com/2009/3/27/812565/css-to-televise-25-gwinnet
External links
- Brian Jordan Foundation
- I Told You I Can Play! at Amazon.comAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...