Willie Jones (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
name=Willie Jones


width=200
position=Third baseman
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1925|8|16
Dillon, South Carolina
deathdate=death date and age|1983|10|18|1925|8|16
Cincinnati, Ohio
debutdate=September 10
debutyear=by|1947
debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies
finaldate=May 7
finalyear=by|1961
finalteam=Cincinnati Reds
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.258
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=190
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=812
teams=
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1947-by|1959)
* Cleveland Indians (by|1959)
* Cincinnati Reds (by|1959-by|1961)
highlights=
* 2x All-Star selection (1950, 1951)

Willie Edward Jones (August 16 1925 – October 18 1983), nicknamed "Puddin' Head", was a Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies (1947-1959), Cleveland Indians (1959) and Cincinnati Reds (1959-1961). He batted and threw right-handed.

In a 15-season career, Jones was a .258 hitter with 190 home runs and 812 RBI in 1691 games played.

A native of Dillon, South Carolina, Jones started his major league career with the Phillies in 1947. By 1949, he became the team's starting third baseman, and held that position until 1959. Jones was the top fielding third baseman in the National League during the 1950s. He led the league in fielding percentage five times, in putouts for seven years (also tying a record), and twice in assists and double plays.

Jones' most productive season came as a member of the fabulous by|1950 "Whiz Kids" National League champion team, when he posted career-highs in home runs (25), RBI (88), runs (100), hits (163), and led the league in games played (157). In 1951 he hit 22 homers with 81 RBI and a career-high .285 batting average. He was selected for the All-Star Game in both seasons.

In 1959, Jones was part of successive trades between the Phillies, Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds. He finished his career with Cincinnati in 1961.

Willie Jones died in Cincinnati, Ohio at age 58.

Highlights

*Twice All-Star (1950-51)
*Tied a major league record with four straight doubles in a game (April 28, 1949)
*His six career grand slams as a Phillie ties him for second place behind Mike Schmidt
*His 2,045 career putouts are 10th highest in major league history
*Compiled a career 1.39 walk-to-strikeout ratio (755-to-541)

ee also

* Top 500 home run hitters of all time

External links

*baseball-reference|id=j/joneswi01
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/J/Jones_Willie.stm Baseball Library]
* [http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m0FCI/11_61/92521923/p1/article.jhtml "Baseball Digest" - "1950: When Philadelphia's Whiz Kids won the NL pennant"]
* [http://www.historicbaseball.com/players/j/jones_willie.html Historic Baseball - obituary]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=3111 Willie Jones at Find-a-Grave]