79-641: As coach: Larry Wayne " Chipper " Jones Jr. (born April 24, 1972) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2012. The Braves chose Jones with the first overall pick in the 1990 MLB draft . He was also a member of their 1995 World Series championship team that beat the Cleveland Indians . An eight-time All-Star , Jones won
158-563: A 3-run stand-up triple, helping the Braves beat the San Diego Padres 7–0. Jones suffered from a torn meniscus in his right knee for much of the first half of the 2011 season, and received Cortisone shots in an attempt to manage the pain. When this became ineffective, he elected to undergo arthroscopic surgery and was placed on the disabled list on July 9, 2011. He returned to the lineup on July 25. On August 12, 2011, Jones hit
237-471: A Division I baseball player is between November 8 and 15; the late signing period dates for these players are April 11 to August 1. The substance policies for college baseball are very strict and set by the NCAA. There is a set list of substances a college baseball player is forbidden to put in his body, and there is severe punishment for those that defy it, whether it would be intentional or unintentional. There
316-707: A best-of-three series. The eight winners then advance to the MCWS, a double-elimination tournament (actually two separate four-team brackets) to determine the two national finalists. The finalists play a best-of-three series to determine the Division I national champion. The most recent Men's College World Series winner is Tennessee . The first intercollegiate baseball game took place in Pittsfield, Massachusetts , on July 1, 1859, between squads representing Amherst College and Williams College . Amherst won, 73–32. This game
395-519: A black player's head. Now, however, baseball is fully integrated, and there is little to no racial tension between teammates. Between 1943 and 1954, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League fielded teams in several Midwestern towns. College baseball NAIA : JUBF College baseball is baseball that is played by student-athletes at institutions of higher education . In
474-812: A career-high with 5 RBIs as the Braves shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks 14–0. He accomplished the feat again on August 23 against the Cincinnati Reds . In the fifth inning of an August 9 game at Shea Stadium , Jones hit a towering three-run homer to right field off Mets starter John Maine . It would later be measured at 470 feet (140 m). Jones finished the season first in the NL in times reached base on an error (14) and in OPS (1.029), second in batting average (.337), and third in OBP (.425) and SLG (.604). He
553-581: A contract with a $ 275,000 signing bonus . Atlanta expressed a desire to select pitcher Todd Van Poppel as the first pick; however, Van Poppel explicitly stated that he would not sign with the Braves. Atlanta then selected Jones, who played shortstop at the time. In 1991, Jones played with the Macon Braves , Atlanta's class-A minor league affiliate. His average was .326, with 24 doubles , 11 triples , 15 home runs, 40 steals, 69 walks , and 79 strikeouts in 473 at bats ; however, he made 56 errors at
632-597: A greater history of supplying players from the high school level to Major League Baseball (MLB). But many amateur baseball players may choose college, for the sake of physical preparation and a softer transition from the high school level to the minor leagues. If players opt to enroll at a four-year college, they must complete three years of college to regain professional eligibility, or have turned at least age 21 before starting their third year of college. Players who enroll at junior colleges (i.e., two-year institutions) regain eligibility after one year at that level. During
711-414: A one-hitter as a freshman. He went to The Bolles School as a sophomore, where he was a two-way player in football. In baseball, he had a 6–3 win–loss record with 87 strikeouts and a 1.89 earned run average (ERA) as a pitcher, with a .391 batting average and seven home runs , earning him First Team All-State honors. In 1989, Jones won First Team All-State honors in both football and baseball, and won
790-641: A poor start in 2010 and met with Atlanta Braves management in June to discuss possible retirement at the end of the season, but his performance improved as the season progressed. Jones's season came to an end after he was injured in a game against the Houston Astros on August 10, 2010; injury reports indicated that he had torn the ACL in his left knee, which would require surgery. In an August 13 press conference, he stated that he would not retire, and that "I don't want
869-547: A season of .365, set by Mickey Mantle in 1957. In 2008, Jones tied an MLB record for most consecutive 20+ home run seasons to start a career (14). In December 2008, Jones accepted an invitation to play for the USA team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic . He played alongside teammate Brian McCann . Jones was scratched from an elimination game in the 2009 World Baseball Classic after straining his right oblique muscle, while playing for team USA. The announcement came an hour before
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#1732772213371948-576: A state championship in baseball. He was also selected as the tournament's most valuable player , and had an 11–1 pitching record, 0.81 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched . In his senior year, the Bulldogs were the state-runner up while Jones compiled a 7–3 record with a 1.00 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 79 innings on the mound, while hitting .488 with 14 stolen bases . Jones won the Gatorade Circle of Champions Florida Baseball Player of
1027-560: A three-run homer against the Chicago Cubs for his 1000th extra base hit. On August 19, 2011, Jones confirmed that he would return for the 2012 season, the final year on his contract, thus ending ongoing speculation about his possible retirement. On August 31, 2011, Jones hit his 450th career home run off John Lannan of the Washington Nationals . On March 22, 2012, the Braves announced that Jones would retire following
1106-801: A wood bat. As a result, in 2011 there was a drop-off in overall "long" drives or home runs relative to past years. All players resident in the U.S. and its territories, plus Canada, are eligible to be selected in Major League Baseball's Rule 4 Draft upon graduating from high school. However, once a player enrolls in a four-year college or university, he is not allowed to be drafted (or re-drafted) until completing three years of school or reaching age 21, whichever comes first. By contrast, players who enroll in junior colleges (i.e., two-year institutions) are eligible for selection at any time. The Rule 4 Draft of eligible college and high school players consists of 20 rounds, most recently reduced from 40 after
1185-440: Is a very long list of these substances, including alcohol, marijuana, anabolic steroids, and heroin, to name just a few. These substances fit into categories such as stimulants, anabolic steroids, diuretics, street drugs, hormones, anti-estrogens, and more. Failure to pass scheduled or random drug tests can result in ineligibility. After losing its license for Major League Baseball , EA Sports released MVP 06: NCAA Baseball ,
1264-460: Is also in 33rd position on the list of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders , passing Lou Gehrig 's record for doubles during the same series with Arizona on June 29, 2012. On July 3, 2012, Jones was named to the NL All-Star team as a replacement for the injured Matt Kemp . That same day, he had his third career five-hit game and the first since 2002. He made it known that he wished
1343-413: Is classified by the NCAA as an "equivalency" sport, meaning that limits on athletic financial aid are set to the equivalent of a fixed number of full scholarships. Division I schools are allowed the equivalent of 11.7 full scholarships; Division II schools, only 9.0. Schools generally choose to award multiple partial scholarships rather than exclusively full scholarships. In Division I, the NCAA also limits
1422-401: Is generally faster than off a wood bat. Those against metal, and for wood, argue that a metal bat is not safe to use, and that a metal bat does not prepare players for the next level, as professional baseball uses a wood bat exclusively. In the 2011 season the NCAA changed the requirements for a metal bat, reducing the maximum allowed exit speed in a way that is said to produce a feeling more like
1501-776: Is played under the auspices of either the NCAA , the NAIA , the NJCAA , the CCCAA , or the NWAC . The NCAA writes the rules of play, while each sanctioning body supervises season-ending tournaments . The final rounds of the NCAA Division I tournament is known as the Men's College World Series (MCWS); while each of the three levels of competition sanctioned by the NCAA holds a championship tournament,
1580-481: Is similar to that of the Major League Draft in that a high school athlete is taking the next step in his career. The NCAA places restrictions on the coaches that are trying to convince athletes to come play for them and attend their university. College baseball programs are only allowed to offer a limited number of scholarships each year, so the process of earning a scholarship is quite competitive. Baseball
1659-764: The Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since the 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and
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#17327722133711738-535: The Florida Marlins , and he was named NL Player of the Week for the week of June 2–8. He was picked to start in the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game , receiving the most votes by fans, managers, and other players of any NL third basemen. Jones won his first batting title at age 36, the oldest switch-hitter to win a batting title. Jones hit .364 during 2008, one point off the all-time switch-hitter high for
1817-641: The Houston Astros ; he went 2–4 with a single and a two-run home run, helping the Braves to their first win of the season. On April 24, Jones was in the lineup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on his 40th birthday. He hit a solo home run in Atlanta's 4–3 win, ending up with a career record of .429 (21-for-49) with five home runs on his birthday. The next day, in the final regular-season at-bat at Dodger Stadium of his career, Jones knocked in
1896-704: The National League Rookie of the Year Award balloting behind Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo . In addition to achieving a level of personal success, Jones played in the 1995 World Series , in which the Braves won in six games over the Cleveland Indians . He also played in the 1996 World Series , in which the Braves lost to the New York Yankees in six games. Jones recorded the last official hit at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium before its closure and demolition in 1997, as well as
1975-477: The Official Baseball Rules . Exceptions include the following: Though a wood bat is legal in NCAA competition, players overwhelmingly prefer and use a metal bat. The metal bat was implemented in college baseball in 1975. Use of a metal bat is somewhat controversial. Supporters of an aluminum or composite bat note that it can increase offensive performance, as the speed of a ball off a metal bat
2054-730: The Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues, the China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During
2133-651: The United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are
2212-540: The "Men's College World Series" branding is reserved strictly for the final round of the Division I tournament. The MCWS takes place in Omaha, Nebraska in June, following the regular season. The playoff bracket for Division I consists of 64 teams, with four teams playing at each of 16 regional sites (in a double-elimination format ). The 16 winners advance to the Super Regionals at eight sites, played head-to-head in
2291-432: The "no agent rule" as a result of this, claiming it was to benefit the amateur athletes. The rule states that "[a]n individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport". Representation of an agent is considered to be any direct contact with
2370-536: The 1890s as multi-sport conferences. The first tournament to name a national champion was held at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, resulting in Yale being crowned champion. No other such tournament was held until the first College World Series in 1947 . Traditionally, college baseball has been played in the early part of the year, with a relatively short schedule and during a time when cold (and/or rainy) weather hinders
2449-454: The 1999 National League (NL) Most Valuable Player Award and the 1999 and 2000 NL Silver Slugger Award for third basemen. He was the MLB batting champion in 2008 after hitting .364. Jones ended his career in 2012 with a .303 career batting average, 468 home runs , and 1,623 runs batted in (RBIs) and holds the Braves team record for career on-base percentage (.402); Jones ranks third on
Chipper Jones - Misplaced Pages Continue
2528-429: The 1999 NLCS. In the playoffs, Jones led the Braves to the World Series against the New York Yankees , in which the Braves were swept. Jones signed a six-year, $ 90 million contract with the Braves in 2000. Jones batted .330 in 2001, 5th best in the league, and led the league with a .349 road batting average. On his 29th birthday, he hit two home runs. On defense, however, his range factor of 2.14 placed him last among
2607-704: The 2008 season where he left off in 2007, hitting over .400 in April while slugging 7 home runs, including the first ever homer at Nationals Park during the inaugural game at the stadium on Opening Day. He also had back-to-back games in which he hit two home runs. Despite these accomplishments, he ultimately lost the NL Player of the Month award in April to Chase Utley . On June 13, Jones was hitting .414 with 15 home runs, but his average dropped to .393 by June 22. He hit his 400th career home run on June 5 off Ricky Nolasco of
2686-411: The 2012 season, after 19 major league seasons with the team. Following the announcement, a fan tribute song called "The Chipper Jones Song" was featured in a number of sports blogs. Jones opened the 2012 season on the disabled list, following surgery on March 26, 2012, to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He was activated from the disabled list and was in the lineup on April 10, as the Braves faced
2765-470: The 2019 edition. Despite MLB's draft being considerably longer than that of the NFL or NBA, only about 9.1% of all NCAA senior baseball players are drafted by an MLB team. One of the biggest controversies with the draft and these amateur athletes is the use of agents . There have been many cases of college athletes consulting or hiring an agent prematurely in direct violation of NCAA rules. The NCAA came up with
2844-523: The 25% limit, as long as it also is included in the calculations for the team equivalency limit. Before September 1 of a potential college player's 11th grade year, it is illegal for a college program to give any kind of recruiting materials to the prospect. A phone call is not even permitted to the prospect until July 1 of the student's 11th grade year. Once the player is committed to the school of his choice, he must sign his letter of intent during one of several signing periods. The early signing period for
2923-613: The All-Star Game break after July 8, Jones was hitting .318 with 6 home runs and 33 RBIs. On August 16, 2012, Jones hit two home runs and collected his 2,700th hit. On September 12, 2012, Jones recorded his 1,500th walk in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the first switch hitter in Major League Baseball history to obtain at least 2,500 hits, 1,500 RBIs, 1,500 runs and 1,500 walks. Jones also joined Stan Musial , Babe Ruth , Ted Williams , and Lou Gehrig as
3002-535: The Atlanta Braves' all-time hits leader, passing Dale Murphy. The next day he hit a home run to extend his extra-base hitting streak to 14 games, matching the Major League record set by Pittsburgh 's Paul Waner in 1927. A month later, on August 14, Jones had his first career three-home-run game. Jones homered in his final three at bats in the Braves' 10–4 win over the Washington Nationals , finishing
3081-413: The Braves career home run list. Among switch hitters , Jones ranks second behind Eddie Murray for career RBIs, and he is the only switch hitter in MLB history with a career batting average of at least .300 and 400 or more home runs. He was the 18th player in MLB history to accumulate 5,000 at bats and finish with at least a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .500 slugging percentage —and
3160-430: The Braves lost 6–3. In his final at-bat, Jones hit a broken-bat single for an infield base hit, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in
3239-697: The Braves' home opener versus the Philadelphia Phillies . His former manager Bobby Cox was in attendance. On April 13, 2011, he recorded his 1,500th RBI, against the Florida Marlins, with a solo home run off Randy Choate . On April 26, 2011, Chipper recorded his 500th double against the San Diego Padres. He also tied Mickey Mantle for second-most RBIs all-time by a switch hitter; Jones passed Mantle for sole possession of second place all-time on April 27, 2011 (with 1,512 RBI) after
Chipper Jones - Misplaced Pages Continue
3318-399: The Braves' minor league system, Jones was involved in a bench-clearing brawl with future Major League stars Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome . Thome and Jones would eventually go on to develop a good friendship over the years. He also changed his position from shortstop to third base , following the guidance of the Braves organization. Jones made his major league debut on September 11, 1993, as
3397-808: The Civil War, first in the northeastern United States but quickly throughout the country. By the late 1870s, several northeastern schools were playing regular home and home series. The team with the best record claimed a "National Championship." Arguments over professional and graduate players led to the creation of the American College Base Ball Association in late 1879, consisting of six northeastern schools which sought to govern such issues and organize games. This organization lasted until 1887, when it dissolved in acrimony and waves of realignment. The Western Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association were formed in
3476-466: The Mets. On September 30, 1999, after a game against the Mets, Jones drew the ire of Mets fans by saying, "Now, all the Mets fans can go home and put their Yankees ' stuff on,” believing his team has eliminated the Mets from playoff contention. Looking back at that moment, Jones has stated “it all went downhill after that,” referring to the Mets making the postseason despite the odds and having to face them in
3555-478: The NL. Jones was third in the league with a .435 on-base percentage . On August 16, 2004, he hit the 300th home run of his career in a 5–4 victory over the San Diego Padres. Following the 2005 season, Jones reworked his contract with the Braves—freeing up money for the Braves to pursue elite free agents , while virtually ensuring he would end his career in Atlanta. The revamped deal gave the Braves $ 15 million over
3634-492: The National League East by only one game as they entered a three-game September series against the Mets, the team that was right on their heels. Atlanta swept the series at Turner Field , though, largely thanks to Jones, who hit four home runs and drove in seven of the 13 runs that the Braves scored. For the season, he hit .319 with a .510 on-base percentage, a 1.000 slugging percentage, and seven home runs against
3713-593: The National League would win the All-Star game in his pregame address to his NL teammates: We got an opportunity to [continue the NL winning streak]. And I am not going out losing my last one... During the All-Star game (the only time in his 19-year career that he played in Kansas City), Jones hit a single into right field at his first (and only) at bat during the game, and the National League won 8–0. At
3792-469: The United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ") is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of
3871-686: The United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, it is governed by the All Japan University Baseball Federation [ ja ] (JUBF). In comparison to American football and basketball , college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional players, as Minor League Baseball tends to be more extensive, with
3950-694: The Year, Regional Baseball Player of the Year, was the Runner-up National Player of the Year, and was inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2012. Jones accepted a scholarship offer to play college baseball at the University of Miami . The Atlanta Braves selected Jones as the first pick overall in the 1990 Major League Baseball draft and signed him to
4029-410: The ability for games to be played, particularly in the northern and midwestern parts of the U.S. These and other factors have historically led colleges and universities across the nation to effectively consider baseball a minor sport, both in scholarships as well as money and other points of emphasis. College baseball's popularity has increased greatly since the 1980s. As increased efforts to popularize
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#17327722133714108-486: The all-time Atlanta Braves home run list when he hit his 371st and 372nd home runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium . This game was also the first time he hit homers from both sides of the plate since 2000. The next day, he had his 400th career double in the ninth inning against San Diego Padres pitcher Kevin Cameron , who had previously only allowed one extra-base hit all year. On July 29, Jones matched
4187-475: The course of the next three years, as well as $ 6 million to use in 2006. The new deal also converted two final team option years to guaranteed contracts. Jones was selected to play in the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic (along with Braves teammates Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann ). He hit a home run in his first at bat of the Classic against Mexico off of Atlanta Braves teammate Óscar Villarreal , who
4266-400: The fans' final image of me to be one of me hurt on the field". During the off-season, Atlanta Braves general manager Frank Wren told David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Jones would likely be ready for Opening Day stating "I think he's progressed very well. He had a setback earlier in the winter when he was away for a week—I think he was actually on a hunting trip—and he
4345-717: The first hit in Turner Field history. In 1998, Jones came in ninth in the voting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award , as he scored 123 runs and had 96 walks (both fourth best in the league). In 1999, Jones won the National League MVP award after becoming the first player ever to hit over .300 (.319) while slugging 40 or more home runs (45; 3rd in the NL) and doubles (41), drawing 100 or more walks (126; 3rd in
4424-601: The first time in his career. In 2009, he was ranked number 10 on the Sporting News list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, were polled to compile the list. In 2009, Jones led all major league third basemen in errors, with 22, and had the lowest fielding percentage of any starting major league third baseman (.930). Jones got off to
4503-604: The game was to be played against team Netherlands . As reported by CBC News on March 13, 2009, Jones criticized Toronto and the play schedule of the World Baseball Classic . On March 31, 2009, Jones agreed to a three-year $ 42 million contract extension with the Braves; the deal includes an option that could become worth up to $ 61 million over four seasons. On May 28, against the Giants and Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum , Jones struck out four times in one game for
4582-594: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with the major-league Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, the Negro leagues gradually faded. The process of integration did not go entirely smoothly; there were some ugly incidents, including pitchers who would try to throw directly at
4661-555: The league), notching 100 or more RBI (110) and runs scored (116), and stealing 20 or more bases (25). Ironically, Jones was not selected for the MLB All-Star game that year. He was also walked intentionally 18 times; 2nd in the league, and his .633 slugging percentage was 4th best in the NL. A major factor in his selection as MVP was his performance against the Braves' chief competitors , the New York Mets . The Braves led
4740-430: The most recent NCAA regular season , 301 teams competed at the Division I level in the United States, with top teams progressing through the regular season, various conference tournaments and championship series, and the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball tournament to play for the Division I championship in the 2024 Men's College World Series . As with most other U.S. intercollegiate sports, competitive college baseball
4819-460: The night 4-for-5 with five RBIs. Despite successes at the plate, injuries dogged Jones throughout the season and for the first time in his career, the Braves failed to qualify for postseason play. Jones performed well both offensively and defensively during the 2007 season. On June 16, he hit a single in the second inning against the Cleveland Indians for his 2,000th career hit. On July 5, Jones tied and passed Braves legend Dale Murphy for first on
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#17327722133714898-399: The oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in
4977-428: The only players in Major League history to record at least 2,500 hits, 1,500 walks, 1,500 runs, 500 doubles, 450 home runs, and 1,500 RBIs while hitting .300 with a .400 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage. Jones ended his career hitting over .300 from each side of home plate. Among switch-hitters with at least 5,000 career at-bats, the only other player to do so is Frankie Frisch . He and Mickey Mantle are
5056-477: The only switch hitter to reach all of these milestones. On June 28, 2013, the Braves retired Jones' number 10 and inducted him into the team's Hall of Fame. In 2018 , he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Jones served as an ESPN color analyst in 2020. He returned to the Braves as an assistant hitting consultant in 2021. Chipper Jones was born in DeLand, Florida , on April 24, 1972. His father, Larry Wayne Jones Sr.,
5135-406: The only two switch-hitters in MLB history to have an on-base percentage of .400, slugging percentage of .500, and 400 homers in their careers. Jones also has the most RBIs of any player who was primarily a third baseman. The final game of his career was the 2012 National League Wild Card Playoff (dubbed the " infield fly rule game" following a controversial call by umpire Sam Holbrook ), in which
5214-567: The professional team during the contract negotiations. This contact can be made many different ways, whether through direct conversation, via mail or through the telephone. This rule is strongly enforced by the NCAA and has harsh consequences if broken. Recent changes to NCAA rules regarding compensation to college athletes for the use of their name, image, and likeness (NIL) have clarified that players can sign with agents to negotiate endorsement deals without loss of eligibility, though not for negotiating with professional teams. The recruitment process
5293-399: The regular major league third basemen who qualified for the fielding ranking. In 2001, a season of flux for the Braves who had won the NL East every year since their 1995 World Series victory, Jones was involved in a public "lingering feud" with former teammate John Rocker . Rocker referred to Jones on the radio by saying "Chip's white trash" and "as two-faced as they came". By late June,
5372-469: The shortstop position. Jones moved up to the Durham Bulls , the Braves' class A-advanced minor league team, in 1992. Jones's average was .277 after 70 games; he was then moved to double-A Greenville Braves where he cut his error total from 56 in the previous season to 32. Following a successful season, Jones played with the Triple-A Richmond Braves , where he played 139 games before being called to Atlanta for his major league debut. During his time in
5451-507: The sport resulted in better players and overall programs, more television and print media coverage began to emerge. The ESPN family of networks have greatly increased television coverage of the NCAA playoffs and the College World Series since 2003. For 2008 and succeeding seasons, the NCAA mandated the first ever start date for Division I baseball, thirteen weeks before the selection of the NCAA tournament field, which takes place on Memorial Day. The rules of college baseball are similar to
5530-643: The total number of players receiving baseball-related financial aid to 27, and also requires that each of these players receive athletic aid equal to at least 25% of a full scholarship. The 25% rule does not apply to schools that offer aid based solely on financial need (most notably Ivy League members), and also does not apply to a player in his final year of athletic eligibility who has not previously received athletically related aid in baseball at any college. A long-standing official NCAA rules interpretation also allows schools to count aid that would otherwise be exempt by NCAA rule (such as purely academic awards) toward
5609-486: The two claimed they had made peace. Before the start of the 2002 season, Jones announced his willingness to move from third base to left field, to make room for the incoming Vinny Castilla . Jones proved adequate in left field, but following two more early playoff exits in 2002 and 2003, a hamstring pull in the early 2004 season and the struggles of third baseman Mark DeRosa , he moved back to his regular position of third base. In 2002, he batted .327, again 5th best in
5688-502: The winning run in the top of the 9th inning. On May 2, Jones capped off a wild extra-inning contest with the Philadelphia Phillies by hitting a 2-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th. He referred to the game-winning home run as one of the best individual moments of his career, as it finished a 15–13 Braves win that saw the team rally from two deficits of five runs or more. During a May 18 game at Tampa Bay , Jones
5767-595: The youngest player in the league. In 1994, he was expected to compete for the starting left field job after veteran Ron Gant broke his leg during an offseason dirt bike accident. However, Jones suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee in spring training . As a result, he spent the entire strike shortened 1994 season on the disabled list . In 1995, Jones led all major league rookies in runs batted in (RBIs; 86), games played (145), games started (123), plate appearances (602), at bats (524), and runs scored (87). That year, he finished second in
5846-601: Was a teacher and coach at T. DeWitt Taylor High School in Pierson . Chipper Jones later attended the same high school and played baseball there. His mother is Lynne Jones. Jones received the nickname "Chipper" from his father and other family members, who saw the younger Larry as a "chip off the old block". He showed an early love for baseball predominantly because of his father's position as coach, and began to play on Little League teams at age seven. Jones began his high school baseball career at Taylor High School, where he pitched
5925-621: Was also sixth in MVP voting, his highest finish since winning the award in 1999. While the Braves enjoyed some early successes, injuries to the pitching staff spoiled the ample contributions from Atlanta's potent offense. While the Braves posted a winning record, they finished third in the National League East, and sat out the postseason. He opened the Chipper Jones's 10th Inning Baseball Academy in Suwanee, Georgia , in late 2007. Jones began
6004-477: Was hit by a ground ball and suffered a severe contusion to his left leg. On May 25, he was placed on the DL after it became clear that the injury would require more time to heal. Jones returned to the Braves' lineup on June 10. Jones hit his 460th home run off Trevor Cahill of the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 27, 2012, putting Jones in 33rd position on the list of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters . Jones
6083-530: Was not doing the [leg] lifts. But as soon as he got back on his weights, he was fine. Right now, talking to the trainers, he should not have any restrictions coming into spring training." Jones made great progress with his rehab and took part in spring training. He was in the Braves' opening day lineup against the Nationals, getting the first hit and scoring the first run of the 2011 Major League Baseball season. On April 8, 2011, Jones hit his 2,500th base hit in
6162-915: Was one of the last played under an earlier version of the game known as " Massachusetts rules ", which prevailed in New England until the " Knickerbocker Rules " (or "New York Rules") developed in the 1840s gradually became accepted. The first ever nine-man team college baseball game under the Knickerbocker Rules still in use today was played in New York on November 3, 1859, between the Fordham Rose Hill Baseball Club of St. John's College (now Fordham University ) against The College of St. Francis Xavier, now known as Xavier High School . Students at many colleges began organizing games between colleges, particularly after
6241-646: Was with the team from 2006 to 2007. Jones went 6-for-17 with a double and two home runs in the tournament. The 2006 season was one of numerous milestones for Jones. On June 10, he became the Atlanta Braves' all-time RBI leader when he drove in his 1,144th run against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park , passing former outfielder Dale Murphy and placing Jones third on the franchise's all-time list (including Braves teams based in Boston and Milwaukee), behind Hank Aaron (2,202) and Eddie Mathews (1,388). On July 15, 2006, Jones recorded his 1,902nd career hit, to become
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