Charley Jones

Charley Jones
Charley Jones
	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
	Keokuk Westerns (1875); Hartford Dark Blues (1875); Cincinnati Reds (1876–1877); Chicago White Stockings (1877); Cincinnati Reds (1877–1878); Boston Red Caps (1879–1880); Cincinnati Red Stockings (1883–1887); New York Metropolitans (1887); Kansas City Cowboys (1888);
Career highlights and awards
	NL home run leader (1879); NL RBI leader (1879);

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]

Career

Jones 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.

References

^ "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

Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Retrosheet
North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame

Records
Preceded by George Hall	Single season home run record holder 1879–1883	Succeeded by Harry Stovey
Preceded by Lip Pike	Career home run record holder 1880–1881	Succeeded by Jim O'Rourke
Preceded by Jim O'Rourke	Career home run record holder 1883–1884	Succeeded by Harry Stovey

[1] "Charley Jones". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 1, 2008.

[2] 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.

[1]

[2]

Career

See also

References

External links