Nippy Jones
Born: 6/29/1925 in Los Angeles, CA, USA
Died: 10/3/1995 in Sacramento, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1946-06-09 | Final Game: 1957-09-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Vernal Leroy Jones
Biography
Nippy Jones was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1946 to 1957. Born in 1925, he played primarily as a position player, appearing in 412 games throughout his career. Jones was known for his solid batting skills, finishing with a career batting average of .267. He recorded a total of 369 hits, including 25 home runs and 209 runs batted in (RBIs). While not a prolific base stealer, he managed to swipe 4 bases during his time in the league.
Jones played during a transitional era in baseball, following World War II when the sport was experiencing a surge in popularity and talent. His contributions to the teams he played for, including the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs, highlighted his versatility and ability to perform under pressure. Although often overshadowed by some of his contemporaries, Jones's steady performance and consistent hitting made him a valuable asset in the lineup, helping to pave the way for future generations of players. He retired on September 29, 1957, leaving behind a legacy as a reliable player in the post-war era of baseball.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25.0 | 25.0 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.240 | 0.240 | 0.440 | 0.680 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.240 | 0.240 | 0.440 | 0.680 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 412 | 1381 | 146 | 369 | 60 | 12 | 25 | 209 | 4 | 71 | 102 | 0.267 | 0.304 | 0.382 | 0.687 | -1430.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | STL | NL | 16 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1947 | STL | NL | 23 | 73 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0.247 | -199.2 |
| 1948 | STL | NL | 132 | 481 | 58 | 122 | 21 | 9 | 10 | 81 | 2 | 36 | 45 | 0.254 | -454.1 |
| 1949 | STL | NL | 110 | 380 | 51 | 114 | 20 | 2 | 8 | 62 | 1 | 16 | 20 | 0.300 | 137.0 |
| 1950 | STL | NL | 13 | 26 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.231 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | STL | NL | 80 | 300 | 20 | 79 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 0.263 | -841.8 |
| 1952 | PHI | NL | 8 | 30 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1957 | ATL | NL | 30 | 79 | 5 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0.266 | -72.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | WS | ML1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1946 | WS | SLN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 333 | 15 | 2992 | 173 | 43 | 289 |
| 2B | 16 | 0 | 34 | 42 | 6 | 6 |
| OF | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | SLN | 2B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1947 | SLN | 2B | 13 | 0 | 32 | 40 | 5 | 5 |
| 1947 | SLN | OF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948 | SLN | 1B | 128 | 0 | 1148 | 63 | 17 | 98 |
| 1949 | SLN | 1B | 98 | 0 | 876 | 40 | 15 | 85 |
| 1950 | SLN | 1B | 8 | 0 | 54 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 1951 | SLN | 1B | 71 | 0 | 698 | 48 | 7 | 78 |
| 1952 | PHI | 1B | 8 | 0 | 73 | 7 | 2 | 8 |
| 1957 | ML1 | 1B | 20 | 15 | 143 | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| 1957 | ML1 | OF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 333 |
| Second Base | 16 |
| Right Field | 3 |