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Davy Jones (baseball)
Encyclopedia
David Jefferson "Davy" Jones (June 30, 1880 – March 30, 1972), nicknamed "Kangaroo", was an outfielder
in Major League Baseball
. He played fifteen seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs
, Detroit Tigers
, Chicago White Sox
, and Pittsburgh Rebels
. Jones played with some of the early legends of the game, including Ty Cobb
, Sam Crawford
, Frank Chance
, Three Finger Brown, Hugh Duffy
and Jesse Burkett
. Also, he played part of one year with the Chicago White Sox
where several of his teammates would later be implicated in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Jones was immortalized in the classic baseball book The Glory of Their Times
by Lawrence Ritter.
Davy Jones was mostly a platoon rather than a full-time player who was decent with the bat and swift on his feet. He played in the major leagues from to , compiling a .270 career batting average
with over 1,000 hits.
, as David Jefferson, he later changed his last name to Jones. He attended college at Northern Illinois University
, and learned to be a druggist before becoming a ball player while living in Portage and Mauston, Wisconsin. Jones would go on to purchase a drug store in Detroit in 1910 during his playing days.
Jones was 21 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 15, 1901, with the Milwaukee Brewers.
each year from 1906-1910.
As a speedy leadoff man, he was a reliable run scorer with Cobb and Crawford following him in the lineup. Jones' speed also made him a fine outfielder, with tremendous range. In 1907, he made 282 putouts and had a range factor of 2.45, 58 points higher than the average outfielder of his day. Jones had his best season in . That year, he had a .357 on base percenetage (the best in the American League). He also scored 101 runs, second in the American League behind his teammate Sam Crawford
. Jones was also amont the AL leaders in 1907 in bases on balls (60) and stolen bases (30). The Tigers advanced to the first of three consecutive World Series in 1907, and Jones batted .353 with a .476 on base percentage in a losing effort to the Chicago Cubs. In his three World Series for the Tigers, Jones played in 18 games, had a .357 on base percentage, scored 8 runs, and had a home run in the 1909 Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
. According to Jones, Schaefer was the only player who ever stole first in a ballgame. The instance evidently took place September 4, 1908 during a Detroit game versus Cleveland. With Davy Jones on third and Schaefer at first, the double steal was on. But as Germany slid into second base safe, the Cleveland catcher held onto the ball. In order to set up the double-steal again, Schaefer took off screaming for first on the next pitch and dove in headfirst in without a play. This stunned the players, fans and umpires, but it was perfectly legal. On the next pitch, the double steal worked. In the same interview, Jones also mentions how, as the lead off batter for the Detroit Tigers
, he was the first hitter to face the great pitcher Walter Johnson
.
. Jones had played for Jennings while with the Tigers. The baseball used in that game is in the baseball Hall of Fame collection and is inscribed: "Last ball used in game at Navin Field in last game of season, 1918, caught by Davy Jones. Hit by Jack Collins of Chicago White Sox. Season ending on Labor Day on account of War." The circumstances of the play in which the ball was involved went unrecognized in the official statistical record for more than 85 years.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He played fifteen seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, and Pittsburgh Rebels
Pittsburgh Rebels
The Pittsburgh Rebels were a professional baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team was a member of the short-lived Federal League, which was a minor league in 1913 but a full-fledged outlaw major league the next two years...
. Jones played with some of the early legends of the game, including Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
, Sam Crawford
Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
, Frank Chance
Frank Chance
Frank Leroy Chance was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century. Performing the roles of first baseman and manager, Chance led the Chicago Cubs to four National League championships in the span of five years and earned the nickname "The Peerless Leader".Chance was elected to...
, Three Finger Brown, Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.-Career:...
and Jesse Burkett
Jesse Burkett
Jesse Cail Burkett , nicknamed "The Crab", was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century...
. Also, he played part of one year with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
where several of his teammates would later be implicated in the 1919 Black Sox scandal. Jones was immortalized in the classic baseball book The Glory of Their Times
The Glory of Their Times
The Glory of Their Times: The Story Of The Early Days Of Baseball Told By The Men Who Played It is a book, edited by Lawrence Ritter, telling the stories of early 20th century baseball...
by Lawrence Ritter.
Davy Jones was mostly a platoon rather than a full-time player who was decent with the bat and swift on his feet. He played in the major leagues from to , compiling a .270 career batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with over 1,000 hits.
Early years
Born in Cambria, WisconsinCambria, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 792 people, 307 households, and 195 families residing in the village. The population density was 752.0 people per square mile . There were 339 housing units at an average density of 321.9 per square mile...
, as David Jefferson, he later changed his last name to Jones. He attended college at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
, and learned to be a druggist before becoming a ball player while living in Portage and Mauston, Wisconsin. Jones would go on to purchase a drug store in Detroit in 1910 during his playing days.
Jones was 21 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 15, 1901, with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Detroit Tigers
Jones spent much of his career playing outfield with the Detroit Tigers, alongside Hall of Fame outfielders, Ty Cobb and Wahoo Sam Crawford. With Cobb and Crawford solidly entrenched in the outfield, Jones was forced to battle for the 3rd outfield spot with Matty McIntyreMatty McIntyre
Matthew W. "Matty" McIntyre was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played ten seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , and Chicago White Sox ....
each year from 1906-1910.
As a speedy leadoff man, he was a reliable run scorer with Cobb and Crawford following him in the lineup. Jones' speed also made him a fine outfielder, with tremendous range. In 1907, he made 282 putouts and had a range factor of 2.45, 58 points higher than the average outfielder of his day. Jones had his best season in . That year, he had a .357 on base percenetage (the best in the American League). He also scored 101 runs, second in the American League behind his teammate Sam Crawford
Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
. Jones was also amont the AL leaders in 1907 in bases on balls (60) and stolen bases (30). The Tigers advanced to the first of three consecutive World Series in 1907, and Jones batted .353 with a .476 on base percentage in a losing effort to the Chicago Cubs. In his three World Series for the Tigers, Jones played in 18 games, had a .357 on base percentage, scored 8 runs, and had a home run in the 1909 Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Germany Schaefer incident
Jones is also known for recounting a famous story in The Glory of Their Times about the early ballplayer/comedian Germany SchaeferGermany Schaefer
Herman A. "Germany" Schaefer was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played fifteen seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, Newark Pepper, New York Yankees, and Cleveland Indians....
. According to Jones, Schaefer was the only player who ever stole first in a ballgame. The instance evidently took place September 4, 1908 during a Detroit game versus Cleveland. With Davy Jones on third and Schaefer at first, the double steal was on. But as Germany slid into second base safe, the Cleveland catcher held onto the ball. In order to set up the double-steal again, Schaefer took off screaming for first on the next pitch and dove in headfirst in without a play. This stunned the players, fans and umpires, but it was perfectly legal. On the next pitch, the double steal worked. In the same interview, Jones also mentions how, as the lead off batter for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, he was the first hitter to face the great pitcher Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
.
Retirement
At the age of 38, having retired from baseball and now running a successful pharmacy in Detroit, Jones was inserted into one game by an old friend who was managing the ball club, Hughie JenningsHughie Jennings
Hugh Ambrose Jennings was a Major League Baseball player and manager from 1891 to 1925. Jennings was a leader, both as a batter and as a shortstop, with the Baltimore Orioles teams that won National League championships in 1894, 1895, and 1896. During the three championship seasons, Jennings had...
. Jones had played for Jennings while with the Tigers. The baseball used in that game is in the baseball Hall of Fame collection and is inscribed: "Last ball used in game at Navin Field in last game of season, 1918, caught by Davy Jones. Hit by Jack Collins of Chicago White Sox. Season ending on Labor Day on account of War." The circumstances of the play in which the ball was involved went unrecognized in the official statistical record for more than 85 years.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- 1909 Detroit Tigers season1909 Detroit Tigers seasonThe 1909 Detroit Tigers won the American League pennant with a record of 96-56, but lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1909 World Series, 4 games to 3. The season was their 9th since they were charter members of the American League in 1901. It was the third consecutive season in which they won...
- List of Northern Illinois University people