Home Run Derby

This week’s HRD Wayback Machine takes up back into the 1970’s and early 80’s.  

Back then, big name sports stars weren’t lining up to do commercials for Gatorade.  Instead, they were lining up to do commercials for Aqua Velva. 

Okay, Aqua Velva looks a lot like Gatorade, but it was (still is) a men’s aftershave.  I think it was orginally meant to be a mouthwash.  Your dad probably used it.  Personally, I don’t know anyone who used that stuff.

And with the tagline “A man wants to smell like a man” … the cheese factor in the Aqua Velva spots was simply priceless.  Even worse than that Johnny Bench commercial for Bubble Fudge.

Pete Rose was the posterboy for Aqua Velva … and he wasn’t afraid to sing the Aqua Velva jingle.

The cameo by Vic Tayback (Mel from the TV show Alice) makes that whole commercial for me.

But that’s not Charlie Hustle’s best work.  Here’s Rose simultaneously taking batting practice and putting on the charm on a female reporter. 

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Fire up the Wayback machine – set for fifteen years ago … 1994.  

When Michael Jordan tried his hand at baseball. 

In 1993, Jordan threw out the first pitch before Game One of the American League Championship Series between the Sox and Blue Jays.  It was the first pitch of an interesting footnote in Jordan’s legacy.

Sometime during the game, Jordan’s agent told Bulls (and White Sox) owner Jerry Reinsdorf that Jordan was about to retire.  And during the game … that rumor spread to everyone watching on television. 

A few days later … Jordan held a press conference saying he was done with basketball.  His father had been murdered over the offseason.  During the 1993 NBA playoffs, the media had scrutinized MJ’s gambling habits … and Jordan needed time away.  Stating he wanted to spend more time with his family … Jordan shocked the world … and was done.

But like most professional athletes who say that they’re retiring to spend “more time with their family” – Jordan was looking for something to do.  And … Michael Jordan came back.  But not in a way anyone ever anticipated.  

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