Chipper Jones skilled the joys of being the No. 1 total decide within the 1990 MLB Draft and acquired baseball’s biggest honor when he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. In between, he earned eight All-Star choices, one Most Valuable Player Award and a World Series title.
Jones debuted with the Braves in 1993 and remained with the group by way of his retirement on the finish of the 2012 season. The iconic third baseman received a world championship throughout his 1995 rookie season and helped the membership advance to the postseason 14 occasions.
Here are 10 moments that outlined Jones’ profession.
1. Four-homer sequence vs. Mets
Jones cemented his solely NL MVP Award and propelled the Braves to a NL East title with the 4 homers he hit throughout a three-game sequence towards the Mets close to the tip of the 1999 season. The Mets got here to Atlanta only one sport again within the division standings. But Jones set the tone for the sequence when he hit a pair of homers to provide the Braves a 2-1 win within the Sept. 21 sequence opener. He homered within the first inning off Rick Reed after which added a decisive eighth-inning homer off Dennis Cook. Jones homered as soon as in each of the following two video games and the Braves ended up ending eight video games in entrance of the Mets.
2. Welcome to the postseason
Proving his potential to come back up large in large conditions, Jones produced a multi-homer sport in his postseason debut. He hit a solo shot off Kevin Ritz within the sixth inning after which broken Curt Leskanic with a go-ahead, two-out, ninth-inning homer that gave the Braves a 5-4 win over the Rockies in Game 1 of the 1995 NLDS at Coors Field.
3. First residence run
Jones stated his father all the time informed him if he may hit in New York, he may hit wherever. So, there was an additional thrill when the Hall of Famer belted his first profession residence run in a 3-2 win over the Mets on May 8, 1995 at Shea Stadium. The ninth-inning, go-ahead homer off Josias Manzanillo was the primary of the 49 homers he’d hit towards the Mets.
4. Fitting remaining homer
The final of Jones’ 468 profession residence runs ended a memorable 8-7 comeback win over the Phillies on Sept. 2, 2012. Jones’ three-run, walk-off homer off Jonathan Papelbon capped a five-run ninth that pushed the Braves nearer towards what was Jones’ remaining journey into the postseason. He totaled 9 walk-off homers in his profession.
5. Three-homer sport
Jones constructed the one three-homer sport of his profession whereas taking part in simply his second sport after lacking a pair weeks with a strained left indirect muscle. Proving he was again to type, the third baseman homered in every of the ultimate three plate appearances of a 10-4 win over the Nationals on Aug. 14, 2006 at RFK Stadium. Jones hit every of his residence runs from the left facet. The final one was a monstrous shot that landed within the higher deck.
6. Batting title
Jones hit over .400 through the early months of the 2008 season and he ended up profitable his solely batting title at 36 years outdated that 12 months. He received this title by hitting a career-best .364. The solely gamers to provide the next batting common (min. 450 plate appearances) at 36 or older have been Barry Bonds (.370 in 2002), Tony Gwynn (.372 in 1997), Babe Ruth (.373 in 1931) and Ted Williams (.388 in 1957).
7. MLB document
Jones tied a MLB document when he recorded an extra-base hit in a 14th consecutive sport throughout a 10-5 win on July 16, 2006 in San Diego. The solely different MLB participant to document an extra-base hit streak this lengthy was the Pirates’ Paul Waner in 1927. Jones slashed .544/.600/1.088 whereas accumulating eight doubles, one triple and 7 residence runs throughout this streak that started on June 26 at Yankee Stadium.
8. ASG homer
Jones gave Braves followers one thing to recollect when he singled within the first inning of the 2000 All-Star Game at Turner Field. He then smacked a two-out solo homer within the third towards James Baldwin. Coincidently, Hank Aaron additionally homered in entrance of his hometown followers when Atlanta had beforehand hosted the All-Star Game in 1972.
9. four-hundredth homer
Jones belted his four-hundredth profession residence run throughout a 7-5 win over the Marlins on June 5, 2008. His sixth inning solo shot off Ricky Nolasco highlighted a four-hit efficiency. When Jones completed his profession with 468 homers, there was cause to marvel if he would have reached 500 homers had he not torn his left ACL in 1994 and once more close to the tip of the 2010 season.
10. Homer off Wags
Adding one more clutch homer to his résumé, Jones hit a go-ahead, decisive residence run towards Billy Wagner in Game 1 of the 2001 NLDS. Jones’ three-run shot towards the hard-throwing left-hander erased a 3-2 deficit within the eighth inning. The Braves received 7-4 and swept the best-of-five sequence. Including the postseason, Jones was simply 4-for-23 with 13 strikeouts in his profession towards Wagner. But like different superstars, he had a knack for developing large in large conditions.
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