Jake Jones (baseball)

This article is about the American first baseman. For the English footballer, see Jake Jones (footballer). For the American basketball player, see Jake Jones (basketball). For the Welsh snooker player, see Jak Jones.

James Murrell "Jake" Jones (November 23, 1920 – December 13, 2000) was an American professional baseball first baseman in Major League Baseball who played between 1941 and 1948 for the Chicago White Sox (1941–42, 1946–47) and Boston Red Sox (1947–48). Listed at 6'3", 197 lb., Jones batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Epps, Louisiana.

Jake Jones
First baseman
Born: (1920-11-23)November 23, 1920 Epps, Louisiana, U.S.
Died: December 13, 2000(2000-12-13) (aged 80) Epps, Louisiana, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 20, 1941, for the Chicago White Sox
Last MLB appearance
September 19, 1948, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average	.229
Home runs	23
Runs batted in	117
Teams
Chicago White Sox (1941–1942, 1946–1947) Boston Red Sox (1947–1948)

Career

Jones was a highly decorated World War II veteran. He played 10 games in the American League for Chicago, in part of two seasons, before enlisting in the United States Navy right after Pearl Harbor attack. He joined the service on June 30, 1942, becoming an aviator. In November 1943 he was assigned as a fighter pilot on the USS Yorktown (CV-10), flying Grumman F6F Hellcat.

Between November and December 1944, Jones destroyed two Japanese A6M Zero fighters and damaged another. On February 1, 1945, he shot down another three Zeroes while serving on a mission at northeast of Tokyo, to give him five confirmed victories. A day later, he destroyed other Zero and a Nakajima Ki-43. Then, on February 25 he received a half-share of a probable Ki-43.

Jones was awarded the Silver Star, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and four Air Medals.

Following his service discharge, Jones returned to play for Chicago in 1946. During the 1947 midseason he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Rudy York, batting a combined .237 with 19 home runs and 96 RBI that season. He hit .200 in 36 games for Boston in 1948, his last major league season, and finished his baseball career in 1949, dividing his playing time between the Texas League and American Association.

Jones died in his hometown of Epps, Louisiana at age 80.

References

• Baseball in Wartime

External links

• Career statistics from Baseball Reference