Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. (born April 24, 1972) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
who played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
from 1993 to 2012. The Braves chose Jones with the
first overall pick in the
1990 MLB draft. He was also a member of their
1995 World Series championship team that beat the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. An eight-time
All-Star, Jones won the 1999
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
(NL)
Most Valuable Player Award
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
and the 1999 and 2000 NL
Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball.
These voters co ...
for third basemen. He was the MLB
batting champion in 2008 after
hitting .364.
Jones ended his career in 2012 with a .303 career batting average, 468
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s, and 1,623
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the ba ...
(RBIs). He has the most career RBIs for a third baseman and holds the Braves team record for career
on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
(.402); Jones ranks third on the Braves career home run list.
Among
switch hitters, Jones ranks second behind
Eddie Murray
Eddie Clarence Murray (born February 24, 1956), nicknamed "Steady Eddie," is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman, designated hitter, and coach. Spending most of his MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles, he ranks fourth ...
for career RBIs, and he is the only switch hitter in MLB history with a career batting average of at least .300 and 400 or more home runs. He was the 18th player in MLB history to accumulate 5,000
at bats and finish with at least a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .500
slugging percentage—and the only switch hitter to reach all of these milestones.
On June 28, 2013, the Braves retired Jones'
number
A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The original examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers c ...
10 and inducted him into the team's Hall of Fame.
On July 29, 2018, he was inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Jones served as an
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
color analyst in 2020. He returned to the Braves as an assistant hitting consultant in 2021.
Early life
Chipper Jones was born in
DeLand, Florida
DeLand is a city in central Florida. It is the county seat of Volusia County. The city sits approximately north of the central business district of Orlando, and approximately west of the central business district of Daytona Beach. As of the 2020 ...
, on April 24, 1972. His father, Larry Wayne Jones Sr., was a teacher and coach at T. DeWitt Taylor High School in
Pierson, the same high school Jones would later attend and play baseball.
[About Chipper]
at chipperjones.com. Retrieved July 13, 2012. His mother is Lynne Jones. Jones received the nickname "Chipper" from his father and other family members, who saw the younger Larry as a "chip off the old block." He showed an early love for baseball predominantly because of his father's position as coach, and began to play
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball (officially, Little League Baseball Inc) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization[The Bolles School
The Bolles School is an American private college preparatory day and boarding school in Jacksonville, Florida. It has a lower school (including pre-kindergarten), a middle school, and a high school, spread across four campuses around the Jackson ...]
as a sophomore, where he was a two-way player in football. In baseball, he had a 6–3
win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
with 87
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
s and a 1.89
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) as a pitcher, with a .391
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
and seven
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s, earning him First Team All-State honors. In 1989, Jones won First Team All-State honors in both football and baseball, and won a state championship in baseball. He was also selected as the tournament's
most valuable player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
, and had an 11–1 pitching record, 0.81 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 84
innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...
. In his senior year, the Bulldogs were the state-runner up while Jones compiled a 7–3 record with a 1.00 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 79 innings on the mound, while hitting .488 with 14
stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
s.
Jones won the Gatorade Circle of Champions Florida Baseball Player of the Year, Regional Baseball Player of the Year, was the Runner-up National Player of the Year, and was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2012.
Jones accepted a scholarship offer to play
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
at the
University of Miami
The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...
.
Professional career
Draft
The
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
selected Jones as the
first pick overall in the
1990 Major League Baseball draft
The 1990 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft was held in June 1990. The draft placed amateur baseball players onto major league teams. 1,487 players were distributed to 26 teams. The draft consisted of first round selections, supplemental first ...
and signed him to a contract with a $275,000
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
. Atlanta expressed a desire to select pitcher
Todd Van Poppel
Todd Matthew Van Poppel (born December 9, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Oakland Athletics (, –), Detroit Tigers (1996), Texas Rangers (, –), Pittsburgh Pirates (1998), Chicago Cubs (–), and Cincinn ...
as the first pick; however, Van Poppel explicitly stated that he would not sign with the Braves. Atlanta then selected Jones, who played shortstop at the time.
Minor leagues (1991–1993)
In 1991, Jones played with the
Macon Braves
Macon may refer to:
Places Belgium
*Macon, Belgium
France
*Mâcon
** Ancient Diocese of Mâcon
**Mâcon, another name for the Mâconnais wine from that region
United States of America
* Macon, Alabama
* Macon, Georgia
* Macon, Illinois
*Macon ...
, Atlanta's
class-A minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
affiliate. His average was .326, with 24
doubles, 11
triples, 15 home runs, 40 steals, 69
walks, and 79 strikeouts in 473
at bats
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
; however, he made 56
errors at the shortstop position.
Jones moved up to the
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in ...
, the Braves'
class A-advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
minor league team, in 1992. Jones's average was .277 after 70 games; he was then moved to
double-A Greenville Braves
The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004. The Braves played in Greenville Municipal Stadium for ...
where he cut his error total from 56 in the previous season to 32.
Following a successful season, Jones played with the
triple-A Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were an American minor league baseball club based in Richmond, Virginia, the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 2008. Owned by the parent Atlanta club and colloquially referred to as the ...
, where he played 139 games before being called to Atlanta for his major league debut.
[Chipper Jones Statistics]
Retrieved July 13, 2012.
During his time in the Braves' minor league system, Jones was involved in a bench-clearing brawl with future Major League stars
Manny Ramirez
Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Lo ...
and
Jim Thome
James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during th ...
. Thome and Jones would eventually go on to develop a good friendship over the years. He also changed his position from shortstop to
third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
, following the guidance of the Braves organization.
Major league career (1993–2012)
1993–1998
![Tom Glavine 1998](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Tom_Glavine_1998.jpg)
Jones made his major league debut on September 11, 1993, as the youngest player in the league. In 1994, he was expected to compete for the starting left field job after veteran
Ron Gant
Ronald Edwin Gant (born March 2, 1965) is an American television news anchor and former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves (1987–1993), Cincinnati Reds (1995), St. Louis Cardinals ...
broke his leg during an offseason
dirt bike
The six main types of motorcycles are generally recognized as ''standard'', ''cruiser'', ''touring'', ''sports'', ''off-road'', and ''dual-purpose''. ''Sport touring'' is sometimes recognized as a seventh category or integrated with the ''touring' ...
accident. However, Jones suffered an
anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are also called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation ...
tear in his left knee in
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
. As a result, he spent the entire
strike shortened 1994 season on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines
...
.
In 1995, Jones led all major league
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
s in
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBIs; 86),
games played
Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.
Basebal ...
(145),
games started
In baseball statistics, games started (denoted by GS) indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he throws the first pitch to the first opposing batter. If a player is lis ...
(123),
plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runner ...
s (602), at bats (524), and
runs scored
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls ...
(87). That year, he finished second in the
National League Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to two outstanding rookie players, one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL), as voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). The aw ...
balloting behind
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
pitcher
Hideo Nomo
is a Japanese former baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He achieved early success in his native country, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to . He then exploited a l ...
. In addition to achieving a level of personal success, Jones played in the
1995 World Series, in which the Braves won in six games over the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. He also played in the
1996 World Series
The 1996 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1996 season. The 92nd edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion (and defending World Series champion ...
, in which the Braves lost to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
in six games.
Jones recorded the last official hit at
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, often referred to as Fulton County Stadium and originally named Atlanta Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in the southeastern United States, located in Atlanta. The stadium was home of the Atlanta Braves of the ...
before its closure and demolition in 1997, as well as the first hit in
Turner Field
Turner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the c ...
history. In 1998, Jones came in ninth in the voting for the
National League Most Valuable Player Award The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' ...
, as he scored 123 runs and had 96 walks (both fourth best in the league).
1999: MVP season
In 1999, Jones won the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
MVP award after becoming the first player ever to hit over .300 (.319) while slugging 40 or more home runs (45; 3rd in the NL) and
doubles (41), drawing 100 or more walks (126; 3rd in the league), notching 100 or more RBI (110) and runs scored (116), and stealing 20 or more bases (25). Ironically, Jones was not selected for the MLB All-Star game that year. He was also walked intentionally 18 times; 2nd in the league, and his .633
slugging percentage was 4th best in the NL. A major factor in his selection as MVP was his performance against the Braves'
chief competitors, the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
. The Braves led the National League East by only one game as they entered a three-game September series against the Mets, the team that was right on their heels. Atlanta swept the series at
Turner Field
Turner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the c ...
, though, largely thanks to Jones, who hit four home runs and drove in seven of the 13 runs that the Braves scored. For the season, he hit .319 with a .510 on-base percentage, a 1.000 slugging percentage, and seven home runs against the Mets. During the
1999 NLCS
The 1999 National League Championship Series (NLCS), to determine the champion of Major League Baseball's National League, was played between two East Division rivals, the division champion Atlanta Braves and the wild card New York Mets.
After ...
, Jones drew the ire of Mets fans by saying, "Now, all the Mets fans can go home and put their
Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
' stuff on." In the playoffs, Jones led the Braves to the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
against the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, in which the Braves were swept.
2000–2005
Jones signed a six-year, $90 million contract with the Braves in 2000. Jones batted .330 in 2001, 5th best in the league, and led the league with a .349 road batting average. On his 29th birthday, he hit two home runs. On defense, however, his
range factor of 2.14 placed him last among the regular major league third basemen who qualified for the fielding ranking.
In 2001, a season of flux for the
Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
who had won the NL East every year since their
1995 World Series victory, Jones was involved in a public "lingering feud" with former teammate
John Rocker
John Loy Rocker (born October 17, 1974) is a former American relief pitcher who played six seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Atlanta Braves. Making his major league debut in 1998 as a member of the Braves, with whom he p ...
. Rocker referred to Jones on the radio by saying "Chip's white trash" and "as two-faced as they came." By late June, the two claimed they had made peace.
Before the start of the 2002 season, Jones announced his willingness to move from
third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
to left field, to make room for the incoming
Vinny Castilla
Vinicio "Vinny" Castilla Soria (; born July 4, 1967) is a Mexican former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves. Previously, he played with the Atlanta Braves (1991–1992, 200 ...
. Jones proved adequate in left field, but following two more early playoff exits in 2002 and 2003, a
hamstring
In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury.
In quadrupeds, ...
pull in the early 2004 season and the struggles of third baseman
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa (born February 26, 1975) is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1998 to 2013. He played for the Atlanta Braves (1998–2004), Texas Rangers (2005–2006), Chicago Cubs ...
, he moved back to his regular position of third base.
In 2002, he batted .327, again 5th best in the NL. Jones was third in the league with a .435
on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
. On August 16, 2004, he hit the 300th home run of his career in a 5–4 victory over the San Diego Padres. Following the 2005 season, Jones reworked his contract with the Braves—freeing up money for the Braves to pursue elite
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
s, while virtually ensuring he would end his career in Atlanta. The revamped deal gave the Braves $15 million over the course of the next three years, as well as $6 million to use in 2006. The new deal also converted two final team option years to guaranteed contracts.
2006–2007
Jones was selected to play in the inaugural
2006 World Baseball Classic
The 2006 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was the inaugural tournament between national baseball teams that included players from Major League Baseball. It was held from March 3 to 20 in stadiums that are in and around Tokyo, Japan; San Juan, Puerto ...
(along with Braves teammates
Jeff Francoeur
Jeffrey Braden Francoeur (; born January 8, 1984), nicknamed "Frenchy", is an American former professional baseball right fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals ...
and
Brian McCann). He hit a home run in his first at bat of the Classic against Mexico off of Atlanta Braves teammate
Óscar Villarreal, who was with the team from 2006 to 2007. Jones went 6-for-17 with a double and two home runs in the tournament.
The 2006 season was one of numerous milestones for Jones. On June 10, he became the Atlanta Braves' all-time RBI leader when he drove in his 1,144th run against the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
at
Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 ...
, passing former outfielder
Dale Murphy
Dale Bryan Murphy (born March 12, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player. During an 18-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) (–), he played as an outfielder, catcher, and first baseman for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphi ...
and placing Jones third on the franchise's all-time list (including Braves teams based in Boston and Milwaukee), behind
Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...
(2,202) and
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee Mathews (October 13, 1931 – February 18, 2001) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman. He played 17 seasons for Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1952–1966); Houston Astros (1967) and Detroit Tigers (1967– ...
(1,388).
On July 15, 2006, Jones recorded his 1,902nd career hit, to become the Atlanta Braves' all-time hits leader, passing Hank Aaron. The next day he hit a home run to extend his
extra-base hit
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...
ting streak to 14 games, matching the Major League record set by
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
's
Paul Waner
Paul Glee Waner (April 16, 1903 – August 29, 1965), nicknamed "Big Poison", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams between 1926 and 1945, most notably playing his first 15 se ...
in 1927. A month later, on August 14, Jones had his first career three-home-run game. Jones homered in his final three at bats in the Braves' 10–4 win over the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, finishing the night 4-for-5 with five RBIs. Despite successes at the plate, injuries dogged Jones throughout the season and for the first time in his career, the Braves failed to qualify for postseason play.
![ChipperJones](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/ChipperJones.jpg)
Jones performed well both offensively and defensively during the 2007 season. On June 16, he hit a
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
in the second inning against the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
for his 2,000th career hit. On July 5, Jones tied and passed Braves legend Dale Murphy for first on the all-time Atlanta Braves home run list when he hit his 371st and 372nd home runs against the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
at
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ( ...
.
[Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers game recap](_blank)
AP, July 5, 2007. This game was also the first time he hit homers from both sides of the plate since 2000.
The next day, he had his 400th career double in the ninth inning against
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
pitcher
Kevin Cameron, who had previously only allowed one extra-base hit all year. On July 29, Jones matched a career-high with 5 RBIs as the Braves shut out the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
14–0. He accomplished the feat again on August 23 against the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
. In the fifth inning of an August 9 game at
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.[John Maine
John Kevin Maine (born May 8, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has played for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets and Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted and threw right-handed.
Early life and co ...](_blank)
. It would later be measured at .
Jones finished the season first in the NL in times reached base on an error (14) and in OPS (1.029), second in batting average (.337), and third in OBP (.425) and SLG (.604). He was also sixth in MVP voting, his highest finish since winning the award in 1999.
![Chipper Jones](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Chipper_Jones.jpg)
While the Braves enjoyed some early successes, injuries to the pitching staff spoiled the ample contributions from Atlanta's potent offense. While the Braves posted a winning record, they finished third in the National League East, and sat out the postseason.
He opened the Chipper Jones's 10th Inning Baseball Academy in
Suwanee, Georgia
Suwanee is a city in Gwinnett County and a northeastern suburb of Atlanta in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 15,355; this had grown to an estimated 20,907 as of 2019.
Portions of Forsyth and Fulton counties ...
, in late 2007.
2008–2011
Jones began the 2008 season where he left off in 2007, hitting over .400 in April while slugging 7 home runs, including the first ever homer at
Nationals Park
Nationals Park is a baseball stadium
A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimen ...
during the inaugural game at the stadium on Opening Day. He also had back-to-back games in which he hit two home runs. Despite these accomplishments, he ultimately lost the NL Player of the Month award in April to
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978), nicknamed "The Man" and "Silver Fox", is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. He ...
. On June 13, Jones was hitting .414 with 15 home runs, but his average dropped to .393 by June 22.
He hit his 400th career home run on June 5 off
Ricky Nolasco
Carlos Enrique Nolasco (born December 13, 1982) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida/Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, and Los Angeles Angels. He is of ...
of the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
, and he was named NL Player of the Week for the week of June 2–8. He was picked to start in the
2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 79th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played at Yankee Stadi ...
, receiving the most votes by fans, managers, and other players of any NL third basemen. Jones won his first batting title at age 36, the oldest switch-hitter to win a batting title. Jones hit .364 during 2008, one point off the all-time switch-hitter high for a season of .365, set by
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
in 1957.
In 2008, Jones tied an MLB record for most consecutive 20+ home run seasons to start a career (14).
![Chipper Jones in San Diego](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Chipper_Jones_in_San_Diego.jpg)
In December 2008, Jones accepted an invitation to play for the
USA team in the
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international baseball competition. It began on 5 9 and finished 5 26.
Unlike in 2006, when the round-robin format of the first two rounds led to some eliminations being decided by run-difference ti ...
. He played alongside teammate
Brian McCann. Jones was scratched from an elimination game in the 2009 World Baseball Classic after straining his right
oblique
Oblique may refer to:
* an alternative name for the character usually called a slash (punctuation) ( / )
* Oblique angle, in geometry
*Oblique triangle, in geometry
*Oblique lattice, in geometry
* Oblique leaf base, a characteristic shape of the b ...
muscle, while playing for team USA. The announcement came an hour before the game was to be played against team
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. As reported by
CBC News
CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca. ...
on March 13, 2009, Jones criticized Toronto and the play schedule of the
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic (WBC) is an international baseball tournament sanctioned from 2006 to 2013 by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and after 2013 by World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major Leagu ...
.
On March 31, 2009, Jones agreed to a three-year $42 million contract extension with the Braves; the deal includes an option that could become worth up to $61 million over four seasons. On May 28, against the Giants and
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young (March 29, 1867 – November 4, 1955) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Born in Gilmore, Ohio, he worked on his family's farm as a youth before starting his professional baseball career. Young entered th ...
winner
Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum ( ; born June 15, 1984), nicknamed "The Freak", "The Franchise", "The Freaky Franchise" and "Big Time Timmy Jim", is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San ...
, Jones struck out four times in one game for the first time in his career.
In 2009, he was ranked #10 on the ''
Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the
Baseball Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...
and winners of major baseball awards, were polled to compile at the list.
In 2009, Jones led all major league third basemen in errors, with 22, and had the lowest fielding percentage of any starting major league third baseman (.930).
Jones got off to a poor start in 2010 and met with Atlanta Braves management in June to discuss possible retirement at the end of the season, but his performance improved as the season progressed. Jones's season came to an end after he was injured in a game against the Houston Astros on August 10, 2010; injury reports indicated that he had torn the ACL in his left knee, which would require surgery. In an August 13 press conference, he stated that he would not retire, and that "I don't want the fans' final image of me to be one of me hurt on the field".
During the off-season, Atlanta Braves general manager
Frank Wren
Franklin E. Wren (born March 17, 1958) is an American front office executive in Major League Baseball. He began his baseball career as a minor league player for the Montreal Expos and later joined the team as an executive. Wren moved to the Florid ...
told David O'Brien of ''
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the only major daily newspaper in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merger between ...
'' that Jones would likely be ready for Opening Day stating "I think he's progressed very well. He had a setback earlier in the winter when he was away for a week—I think he was actually on a hunting trip—and he was not doing the
eglifts. But as soon as he got back on his weights, he was fine. Right now, talking to the trainers, he should not have any restrictions coming into spring training."
![Chipper Jones spring](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Chipper_Jones_spring.jpg)
Jones made great progress with his rehab and took part in spring training. He was in the Braves' opening day lineup against the Nationals, getting the first hit and scoring the first run of the 2011 Major League Baseball season.
On April 8, 2011, Jones hit his 2,500th base hit in the Braves' home opener versus the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
. His former manager
Bobby Cox
Robert Joe Cox (born May 21, 1941) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cox played for the New York Yankees and managed the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of ...
was in attendance. On April 13, 2011, he recorded his 1,500th RBI, against the Florida Marlins, with a solo home run off
Randy Choate
Randol Doyle Choate (born September 5, 1975) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. The New York Yankees selected him in the 1997 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft from Florida State University. Choate made his MLB debut for the Ya ...
. On April 26, 2011, Chipper recorded his 500th double against the San Diego Padres. He also tied Mickey Mantle for second-most RBIs all-time by a switch hitter; Jones passed Mantle for sole possession of second place all-time on April 27, 2011 (with 1,512 RBI) after a 3-run stand-up triple, helping the Braves beat the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
7–0.
Jones suffered from a torn
meniscus
Meniscus may refer to:
*Meniscus (anatomy), crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that partly divides a joint cavity
*Meniscus (liquid)
The meniscus (plural: ''menisci'', from the Greek for "crescent") is the curve in the upper surface ...
in his right knee for much of the first half of the 2011 season, and received
Cortisone
Cortisone is a pregnene (21-carbon) steroid hormone. It is a naturally-occurring corticosteroid metabolite that is also used as a pharmaceutical prodrug; it is not synthesized in the adrenal glands. Cortisol is converted by the action of the enzy ...
shots in an attempt to manage the pain. When this became ineffective, he elected to undergo
arthroscopic
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the jo ...
surgery and was placed on the disabled list on July 9, 2011. He returned to the lineup on July 25.
On August 12, 2011, Jones hit a three-run homer against the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
for his 1000th extra base hit. On August 19, 2011, Jones confirmed that he would return for the 2012 season, the final year on his contract, thus ending ongoing speculation about his possible retirement. On August 31, 2011, Jones hit his 450th career home run off
John Lannan
John Edward Lannan (born September 27, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Washington Nationals in 2007 against the Philadelphia Phillies; he was ejected from his first ...
of the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
.
2012: Final season
On March 22, 2012, the Braves announced that Jones would retire following the 2012 season, after 19 major league seasons with the team. Following the announcement, a fan tribute song called "The Chipper Jones Song" was featured in a number of sports blogs.
Jones opened the 2012 season on the disabled list, following surgery on March 26, 2012, to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He was activated from the disabled list and was in the lineup on April 10, as the Braves faced the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
; he went 2–4 with a single and a two-run home run, helping the Braves to their first win of the season.
On April 24, Jones was in the lineup against the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
on his 40th birthday. He hit a solo home run in Atlanta's 4–3 win, ending up with a career record of .429 (21-for-49) with five home runs on his birthday. The next day, in the final regular-season at-bat at
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a baseball stadium in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It is the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a cost of ( ...
of his career, Jones knocked in the winning run in the top of the 9th inning. On May 2, Jones capped off a wild extra-inning contest with the Philadelphia Phillies by hitting a 2-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th. He referred to the game-winning home run as one of the best individual moments of his career, as it finished a 15–13 Braves win that saw the team rally from two deficits of five runs or more.
During a May 18 game at
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater in ...
, Jones was hit by a ground ball and suffered a severe contusion to his left leg. On May 25, he was placed on the DL after it became clear that the injury would require more time to heal. Jones returned to the Braves' lineup on June 10.
Jones hit his 460th home run off
Trevor Cahill
Trevor John Cahill (born March 1, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Sa ...
of the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
on June 27, 2012, putting Jones in 33rd position on the
list of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters. Jones is also in 33rd position on the
list of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
In baseball, a double is a hit in which the batter advances to second base in one play, with neither the benefit of a fielding error nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice. A batter may also be credited with a ground-rule double w ...
, passing
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...
's record for doubles during the same series with Arizona on June 29, 2012.
![Chipper Jones last reg season game](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Chipper_Jones_last_reg_season_game.jpg)
On July 3, 2012, Jones was named to the
NL All-Star team as a replacement for the injured
Matt Kemp
Matthew Ryan Kemp (born September 23, 1984) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He began his professional career in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 2003, and played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Dodgers fr ...
. That same day, he had his third career five-hit game and the first since 2002. He made it known that he wished the National League would win the All-Star game in his pregame address to his NL teammates:
During the All-Star game (the only time in his 19-year career that he played in Kansas City), Jones hit a single into right field at his first (and only) at bat during the game, and the National League won 8–0. At the All-Star Game break after July 8, Jones was hitting .318 with 6 home runs and 33 RBIs.
On August 16, 2012, Jones hit two home runs and collected his 2,700th hit. On September 12, 2012, Jones recorded his 1,500th walk in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the first switch hitter in Major League Baseball history to obtain at least 2,500 hits, 1,500 RBIs, 1,500 runs and 1,500 walks. Jones also joined
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank Musial (; born Stanislaw Franciszek Musial; November 21, 1920 – January 19, 2013), nicknamed "Stan the Man", was an American baseball outfielder and first baseman. Widely considered to be one of the greatest and most consis ...
,
Babe Ruth
George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...
,
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 1939 ...
, and
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...
as the only players in Major League history to record at least 2,500 hits, 1,500 walks, 1,500 runs, 500 doubles, 450 home runs, and 1,500 RBIs while hitting .300 with a .400 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage.
Jones ended his career hitting over .300 from each side of home plate. Among switch-hitters with at least 5,000 career at-bats, the only other player to do so is
Frankie Frisch
Frank Francis Frisch (September 9, 1898—March 12, 1973), nicknamed "The Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was an American Major League Baseball player and manager of the first half of the twentieth century.
Frisch was a switch-hitting secon ...
. He and
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
are the only two switch-hitters in MLB history to have an on-base percentage of .400, slugging percentage of .500, and 400 homers in their careers. Jones also has the most RBIs of any player who was primarily a third baseman.
The final game of his career was the
2012 National League Wild Card Playoff
The 2012 National League Wild Card Game was a play-in game during Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2012 postseason played between the National League's (NL) two wild card teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves. It was held at Turn ...
(dubbed the "
infield fly rule game" following a controversial call by umpire
Sam Holbrook
Samuel Woodford Holbrook (born July 7, 1965) is an American umpire (baseball), umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 1996 and became a crew chief in 2017. Holbrook wears number (sports), number 34.
Umpiring career
Sam ...
), in which the Braves lost 6–3. In his final at-bat, Jones hit a broken-bat single for an infield base hit, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
Post-baseball
In February 2013, the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
announced that they would induct Jones into the
Braves Hall of Fame and retire his number, 10.
Jones's Braves Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place on June 28 during a luncheon at the
Atlanta Marriott Marquis
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis is a 47-story, Marriott hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is the 15th tallest skyscraper in the city. The building was designed by Atlanta architect John C. Portman Jr. with construction completed in 19 ...
and featured speeches from former Braves players, including
Hank Aaron
Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...
.
Jones's number retirement ceremony also took place on June 28 prior to the Braves' game against the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
. Jones, who approached the podium as his former walk-up song ("
Crazy Train
"Crazy Train" is the debut solo single by English heavy metal vocalist Ozzy Osbourne and was released in 1980 from his debut album as a solo artist, ''Blizzard of Ozz'' (1980). A live version of the song recorded in 1981 from the album ''Trib ...
" by
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
) played in the background, was joined onstage by former Braves owner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, cable news ch ...
, Braves franchise president
John Schuerholz
John Boland Schuerholz Jr. (; born October 1, 1940) is an American baseball front office executive. He was the general manager of Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves from 1990 to 2007, and then served as the Braves president for a decade from 2 ...
, former Braves player
Dale Murphy
Dale Bryan Murphy (born March 12, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player. During an 18-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) (–), he played as an outfielder, catcher, and first baseman for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphi ...
, then-current Braves player
Dan Uggla
Daniel Cooley Uggla (born March 11, 1980) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals. In 2010, Uggl ...
, and former Braves manager
Bobby Cox
Robert Joe Cox (born May 21, 1941) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cox played for the New York Yankees and managed the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of ...
, as well as his parents and children. During his speech, Jones also recognized his former Braves teammates
Martín Prado
Martín Manuel Prado Torcate (born October 27, 1983) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees and Miami Marlins. During h ...
,
Randall Delgado
Randall Enrique Delgado (born February 9, 1990) is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Professional career
Atlant ...
, and
Eric Hinske
Eric Scott Hinske (born August 5, 1977) is an American professional baseball coach and retired outfielder and first baseman who is currently the assistant hitting coach for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). Hinske played in the ...
, who were all traded to or signed by the Diamondbacks during that offseason. His number 10 is the eleventh number retired by the Braves franchise.
Later that same year Chipper Jones's number 10 jersey was also retired by the
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in ...
on August 20.
During a 2014 winter storm, Jones rescued former teammate
Freddie Freeman
Frederick Charles Freeman (born September 12, 1989) is an American-Canadian professional baseball first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Previously, Freeman played for the Atlanta Braves for 12 seasons. He mad ...
. Freeman was stuck in a traffic jam for hours. Jones came to the rescue on his ATV, and pulled Freeman out of the jam. At the start of the new year in 2016, the Atlanta Braves announced a "Chipper Rescues Freddie" bobblehead night for the upcoming season to honor the rescue.
He returned to the Braves as an adviser for the 2016 season.
Jones was announced as one of the four (alongside
Jim Thome
James Howard Thome (; born August 27, 1970) is an American former professional baseball corner infielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 22 seasons (1991–2012). He played for six different teams during th ...
,
Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Alvino Guerrero Sr. (born February 9, 1975), nicknamed "Vlad the Impaler", is a Dominican former professional baseball player who spent 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right fielder and designated hitter. He played for ...
, and
Trevor Hoffman
Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego P ...
) inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame on January 24, 2018. He is the second 1st-overall draft pick to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
On March 1, 2020, Jones was hired by ESPN to be a
color analyst, starting with 20 ''
Wednesday Night Baseball
''Wednesday Night Baseball''
is a live game telecast of Major League Baseball.
The series formally aired every Wednesday night during the regular season on ESPN. However, beginning with the 2022 Major League Baseball season, ESPN significantly ...
'' broadcasts. Jones left ESPN in the off-season after
Jon Sciambi
Jon "Boog" Sciambi (; born April 11, 1970) is an American sportscaster for ESPN and the Marquee Sports Network, currently the everyday play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs TV broadcasts. He has worked extensively as a baseball play-by-pla ...
, his primary broadcast partner, joined the
Marquee Sports Network
Marquee Sports Network is a regional sports network operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Chicago Cubs, launched on February 22, 2020. It is devoted exclusively to Cubs baseball, replacing a trio of channels (cable channel NBC Sports Chic ...
as the play-by-play announcer for its
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
telecasts.
In February 2021, Jones was hired by the Atlanta Braves as a part-time hitting consultant.
Due to his hitting consultant role within the organization, Jones received his second
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
championship ring when the Braves won the
2021 World Series
The 2021 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2021 season. The 117th World Series was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Atlanta Braves and the American League (AL) champion H ...
.
Personal life
Jones met his first wife, Karin Fulford, while he was playing with the Braves class A affiliate in
Macon, Georgia
Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in the U.S. state of Georgia. Situated near the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is located southeast of Atlanta and lies near the geographic center of the state of Geo ...
. The couple married in 1992 and divorced in 2000, after it was revealed that Jones had an 18-month extramarital affair with a
Hooters
Hooters is the registered trademark used by two American restaurant chains: Hooters, Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, and Hooters of America, Inc. based in Atlanta, Georgia, and owned by the private investment firm Nord Bay Capital (with ...
waitress that produced a son, Matthew, born in 1998.
He married second wife Sharon Logonov in March 2000 in
Pierson, Florida
Pierson is a town in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,542 as of the 2020 census.
Pierson bills itself as the "Fern Capital of the World". The town is heavily reliant on agriculture which mainly consists of fern growing ...
. They have three sons: Larry Wayne III (Trey), Tristen, and Shea, named after
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.[Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...](_blank)
'' model Taylor Higgins. Jones and Higgins were married on June 14, 2015. On June 21, 2016, Jones and Higgins announced via Twitter that they were expecting a baby in January 2017. Their son, Cutler Ridge Jones was born on January 11, 2017, in Atlanta. Their second son, Cooper, was born on August 9, 2018.
Jones enjoys deer hunting. Jones was a co-owner of
Outdoor Channel
Outdoor Channel is an American pay television channel focused on the outdoors, offering programming that includes hunting, fishing, Western lifestyle, off-road motorsports and adventure. The network can be viewed on multiple platforms including ...
's hunting show ''Buck Commander'' with friends and pro athletes
Adam LaRoche
David Adam LaRoche (born November 6, 1979) is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks ...
,
Ryan Langerhans
Ryan David Langerhans (born February 20, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Langerhans was drafted in the third round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft by the Atlanta Braves, and made his debut with them in 2002. H ...
, Tom Martin, and
Willie Robertson
Willie Jess Robertson (born April 22, 1972) is an American TV personality, businessman, author and news contributor. He is best known for his appearances on the reality TV series ''Duck Dynasty'' on A&E, and is the current CEO of the company D ...
. Currently, he is co-owner and co-host of the television show ''Major League Bowhunter'' airing on the
Sportsman Channel
Sportsman Channel is an American sports-oriented digital cable and satellite television network owned by the Outdoor Sportsman Group subsidiary of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. The channel is dedicated to programming about outdoor sports, incl ...
, alongside long time friend Matt Duff.
In 2008, Jones released a charity wine called "Chipper
Chardonnay
Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern French wine, France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from English wine, Englan ...
", with a portion of the proceeds supporting the Miracle League, an organization serving children with disabilities.
Career highlights
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball home run records
This is a list of some of the records relating to home runs hit in baseball games played in the Major Leagues. Some Major League records are sufficiently notable to have their own page, for example the single-season home run record, the progress ...
*
List of Major League Baseball batting champions
In baseball, batting average (AVG) is a measure of a batter's success rate in achieving a hit during an at bat. In Major League Baseball (MLB), it is calculated by dividing a player's hits by his at bats (AB). In MLB, a player in each league wins ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
Below is the list of the 286 Major League Baseball players who have reached the 2,000 hit milestone during their career in MLB. Pete Rose holds the Major League record for most career hits, with 4,256. Rose and Ty Cobb, second most, are the only ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
In baseball, a double is a hit in which the batter advances to second base in one play, with neither the benefit of a fielding error nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice. A batter may also be credited with a ground-rule double w ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
Listed are all Major League Baseball (MLB) players with 1,000 or more career runs scored. Players in bold face are active as of the 2022 Major League Baseball season.
Key
List
*Stats updated through the 2022 season.
Through the end of the ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
This is a list of Major League Baseball players who have compiled 1,000 runs batted in (RBIs). RBIs are usually accumulated when a batter in baseball enables a runner on base (including himself, in the case of a home run) to score as a result of ma ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs.
In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
*
References
External links
*
Chipper Jonesat SABR (Baseball BioProject)
Official Major League Bowhunter Channel on CarbonTVChipper Jones' 10th Inning Baseball Academy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Chipper
1972 births
Living people
American hunters
Atlanta Braves players
Atlanta Braves scouts
Baseball players from Jacksonville, Florida
Bolles School alumni
Durham Bulls players
Greenville Braves players
Gulf Coast Braves players
Macon Braves players
Major League Baseball broadcasters
Major League Baseball players with retired numbers
Major League Baseball third basemen
Mississippi Braves players
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
National League All-Stars
National League batting champions
National League Most Valuable Player Award winners
People from DeLand, Florida
Richmond Braves players
Rome Braves players
Silver Slugger Award winners
Baseball players from Atlanta
World Baseball Classic players of the United States
2006 World Baseball Classic players
2009 World Baseball Classic players