Charles Wesley Jones (born Benjamin Wesley Rippay on April 30, 1852 – June 6, 1911) was an American left fielder in the National Association and Major League Baseball who hit 56 home runs and batted .298 during his twelve-year career. He was born in Alamance County, North Carolina.[1] Charley Wesley “Baby”, “Big Charlie”, “Knight of the Limitless Linen” Jones, who was traded by the Cincinnati Red Stockings to the New York Metropolitans for the 1887 season, following a contract dispute. He spent 12 years in the majors, and was perhaps the first "slugger."[2]
| Charley Jones | |
|---|---|
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| Outfielder | |
| Born: April 30, 1852 Alamance County, North Carolina, U.S. | |
| Died: June 6, 1911 (aged 59) New York, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 4, 1875, for the Keokuk Westerns | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 26, 1888, for the Kansas City Cowboys | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .298 |
| Home runs | 56 |
| Runs batted in | 553 |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Career
editJones played for several teams; the Keokuk Westerns, Hartford Dark Blues, Cincinnati Reds (NL), Chicago White Stockings, Boston Red Caps, Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA), New York Metropolitans, and Kansas City Cowboys. A popular but controversial player, despite his hitting ability he never played for a league champion.
On June 10, 1880, Jones became the first big leaguer to hit two homers in the same inning. Both home runs came off Buffalo Bisons' pitcher Tom Poorman in the eighth inning of a 19–3 rout.
Jones best period was from 1883 to 1885, when he hit 22 home runs, had 186 RBI, and batted .310. Through the first nine seasons of the major leagues' existence, Jones held the career record for home runs, despite missing two of those seasons (1881–82) as a result of being blackballed from the sport. In 1887, he dropped to fourth place. By 1889, he was just tenth, and by 1890 he was no longer among the top ten.
After his playing career concluded, Jones spent two seasons as an umpire. He umpired 121 games in the Players' League in 1890, and 76 games in the American Association in 1891.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Charley Jones". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 1, 2008.
- ^ David L. Porter, ed. (2000). Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: G-P (Hardcover). Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 765. ISBN 978-0-313-31175-8.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Retrosheet
- North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame