Chipper Jones

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Jones's journey began in Pierson, Florida, where he grew up playing Little League baseball at age seven under his father's guidance. He attended Taylor High School before transferring to The Bolles School as a sophomore, excelling as a two-way player in football and baseball. In 1989, he earned First Team All-State honors in both sports, leading his team to a state championship with an 11–1 pitching record, a 0.81 ERA, and 107 strikeouts. That same year, he was named the tournament MVP and won the Gatorade Florida Baseball Player of the Year award. Despite a scholarship offer from the University of Miami, Jones signed with the Atlanta Braves after they selected him first overall in the 1990 draft, passing on pitcher Todd Van Poppel who refused to sign with them.

In Their Own Story

In 2008, Jones achieved a rare feat by leading all of MLB with a .364 batting average. His most legendary season, however, came in 1999 when he became the first player ever to hit over .300 (.319) while slugging 45 home runs, hitting 41 doubles, drawing 126 walks, and driving in 110 runs. That year, he also stole 25 bases and posted a .633 slugging percentage. A pivotal moment occurred in September against the New York Mets; with Atlanta leading by just one game, Jones hit four home runs to sweep the series and drive in seven of the Braves' 13 runs. Despite his dominance, he was not selected for the All-Star game that year. He famously told Mets fans after a game on September 30, "Now, all the Mets fans can go home and put their Yankees' stuff on," believing the sweep eliminated them from contention—a prediction that proved wrong as the Mets advanced to face the Braves in the NLCS.

Reader's Guide

Jones redefined the third base position for the Braves, moving from shortstop in the minors to his primary defensive spot after guidance from the organization. He held the team record for career on-base percentage (.402) and ranks third on the franchise's all-time home run list. Uniquely, he is the only switch hitter in MLB history with a career batting average above .300 and more than 300 home runs. He also ranks second behind Eddie Murray in career RBIs for switch hitters. His loyalty to Atlanta was solidified when he reworked his contract following the 2005 season, converting team options into guaranteed years to ensure he would finish his career in Atlanta. In 2018, he achieved the ultimate honor by being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility.

Did You Know?

• Jones was the only switch hitter in MLB history with a career batting average above .300 and more than 300 home runs.
• He hit four home runs in a single three-game September series against the New York Mets in 1999.
• Jones recorded both the last official hit at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (1997) and the first hit in Turner Field history.
• In 2006, he hit a home run in his first at-bat of the World Baseball Classic off teammate Óscar Villarreal.
• He is one of only 18 players in MLB history to accumulate 5,000 at bats with a .300 average, .400 on-base percentage, and .500 slugging percentage.