Charley Jones


Charles Wesley Jones 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.

Career

Jones played for several teams; the Keokuk Westerns, Hartford Dark Blues, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Stockings, Boston Red Caps, Cincinnati Red Stockings, 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 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.