Cleon Jones: Difference between revisions
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Jones figured in three of the most memorable moments in that magical season, and indeed, in Mets history, and will always be remembered together with Mets manager [[Gil Hodges]]. |
Jones figured in three of the most memorable moments in that magical season, and indeed, in Mets history, and will always be remembered together with Mets manager [[Gil Hodges]]. |
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With the team well out of first place on July 30 during the third inning of the second game of a double header in Houston, Hodges walked out to Jones in leftfield and removed him from the game. Newspapers at the time and to this day<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/08222009/sports/mets/hodges_guided_69_miracle_team_185988.htm HODGES GUIDED '69 MIRACLE TEAM New York Post August 22, 2009]</ref> have reported that he was removed for failure to hustle. After the Mets rallied to win the World Series the incident come to be regarded in Met lore as one of the turning points in the season. On August 22, 2009 following ceremonies honoring the 40th anniversary of the "Miracle Mets" Jones discussed the incident during [[SportsNet New York]]'s telecast of that nights game. Jones said Hodges asked him why he did not look good going after a fly ball on |
With the team well out of first place on July 30 during the third inning of the second game of a double header in Houston, Hodges walked out to Jones in leftfield and removed him from the game. Newspapers at the time and to this day<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/seven/08222009/sports/mets/hodges_guided_69_miracle_team_185988.htm HODGES GUIDED '69 MIRACLE TEAM New York Post August 22, 2009]</ref> have reported that he was removed for failure to hustle. After the Mets rallied to win the World Series the incident has come to be regarded in Met lore as one of the turning points in the season. On August 22, 2009 following ceremonies honoring the 40th anniversary of the "Miracle Mets" Jones discussed the incident during [[SportsNet New York]]'s telecast of that nights game. Jones said Hodges asked him why he did not look good going after a fly ball on the previous play. According to Jones he pointed down to the water filled turf. Hodges then said that something must be wrong with Jones's ankle and pulled him for that reason. Jones explained that Hodges was his favorite manager would never publicly embarrass a player. According to Jones both parties never revealed the contents of the conversation. Jones believes that the fear instilled in other players by the incident was the turning point in the season.<ref>SportsNet New York telecast Mets vs Phillies August 22, 2009</ref> |
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Two of those moments occurred in Game 5 of the [[1969 World Series|World Series]], in which the Mets played the heavily favored [[Baltimore Orioles]]. The first came when Jones claimed he was hit on the foot by a pitched ball. Umpire [[Lou DiMuro]] disagreed, but after Mets manager Gil Hodges inspected the ball and found shoe polish on it, Jones was awarded first base. The second came when, with two outs in the ninth inning, [[Davey Johnson]] of the Orioles hit a fly ball to left field. Jones said to himself, "Come on down, baby. Come on down." Jones' catch ended not only the game, but the World Series, a best of five-game victory for the upstarts from Queens. |
Two of those moments occurred in Game 5 of the [[1969 World Series|World Series]], in which the Mets played the heavily favored [[Baltimore Orioles]]. The first came when Jones claimed he was hit on the foot by a pitched ball. Umpire [[Lou DiMuro]] disagreed, but after Mets manager Gil Hodges inspected the ball and found shoe polish on it, Jones was awarded first base. The second came when, with two outs in the ninth inning, [[Davey Johnson]] of the Orioles hit a fly ball to left field. Jones said to himself, "Come on down, baby. Come on down." Jones' catch ended not only the game, but the World Series, a best of five-game victory for the upstarts from Queens. |
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Revision as of 05:26, 24 August 2009
| Cleon Jones | |
|---|---|
| Left fielder | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| debut | |
| September 14, 1963, for the New York Mets | |
| Last appearance | |
| May 1, 1976, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .281 |
| Home runs | 93 |
| Runs batted in | 524 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Cleon Joseph Jones (born August 4, 1942 in Plateau, Alabama) is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets from 1963 to 1975, and who played for a few weeks with the Chicago White Sox in 1976. He threw left-handed and batted right-handed.
Jones' hitting prowess emerged in 1968, when after being platooned early in the year, he began playing every day, and batted .360 over the last half of the season, raising his average from .223 to .297 at season's end.
His best season was with the "Miracle Mets" of 1969, when he batted .340 (third in the National League), and was selected to play in the All-Star game.
Jones figured in three of the most memorable moments in that magical season, and indeed, in Mets history, and will always be remembered together with Mets manager Gil Hodges.
With the team well out of first place on July 30 during the third inning of the second game of a double header in Houston, Hodges walked out to Jones in leftfield and removed him from the game. Newspapers at the time and to this day[1] have reported that he was removed for failure to hustle. After the Mets rallied to win the World Series the incident has come to be regarded in Met lore as one of the turning points in the season. On August 22, 2009 following ceremonies honoring the 40th anniversary of the "Miracle Mets" Jones discussed the incident during SportsNet New York's telecast of that nights game. Jones said Hodges asked him why he did not look good going after a fly ball on the previous play. According to Jones he pointed down to the water filled turf. Hodges then said that something must be wrong with Jones's ankle and pulled him for that reason. Jones explained that Hodges was his favorite manager would never publicly embarrass a player. According to Jones both parties never revealed the contents of the conversation. Jones believes that the fear instilled in other players by the incident was the turning point in the season.[2]
Two of those moments occurred in Game 5 of the World Series, in which the Mets played the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. The first came when Jones claimed he was hit on the foot by a pitched ball. Umpire Lou DiMuro disagreed, but after Mets manager Gil Hodges inspected the ball and found shoe polish on it, Jones was awarded first base. The second came when, with two outs in the ninth inning, Davey Johnson of the Orioles hit a fly ball to left field. Jones said to himself, "Come on down, baby. Come on down." Jones' catch ended not only the game, but the World Series, a best of five-game victory for the upstarts from Queens.
Early in the 1970 season, Jones suffered through the worst slump in his career, but late in the year had a then-club record 23-game hitting streak, and wound up hitting .277. In 1971, he hit .319.
At the beginning of the 1972 season, Jones and Hodges would be separated by death, when Hodges would die of a massive heart attack following a round of golf on April 2, two days before his 48th birthday.
Jones would be instrumental in the 1973 pennant race. He hit .260, while the Mets won the Eastern Division title on the last day of the season with a paltry .508 winning percentage. The team went on to upset the Cincinnati Reds' mighty "Big Red Machine," en route to a seven-game World Series loss to the Oakland A's.
On September 20, 1973, in a crucial game for first place against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Jones started one of the most memorable plays in Mets history, what has become known as the "Dave Augustine" play. In the top of the 12th inning, with Richie Zisk on first, Dave Augustine belted what appeared to be a home run over the left field wall. Jones turned to play the ball off the wall and the ball hit the top of the wall and went right into Jones' glove on the fly. He turned and threw to relay man Wayne Garrett, who threw home to catcher Ron Hodges to nail Zisk at the plate. Following this miracle play, the Mets won the game in the bottom of the 12th inning.
From 1968-1972, Jones played with childhood friend Tommie Agee, who was the Mets center fielder.
Jones was released by the Mets in the middle of the 1975 season after an altercation with manager Yogi Berra. He played a few weeks the following season with the Chicago White Sox.
Jones was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1991. His .340 average in 1969 remained a team record until John Olerud batted .354 in 1998. Jones remains among the team's all-time leaders in games played, at bats, and hits.
Jones is a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and a member of the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame.
The rap duo High And Mighty mention Jones in their song entitled B-Boy Document '99. The group has shown a tendency to rap about New York sports figures, and are said to be particularly fond of the 1969 Mets.
Cleon Jones is a graduate of Alabama A&M University.
References
- ^ HODGES GUIDED '69 MIRACLE TEAM New York Post August 22, 2009
- ^ SportsNet New York telecast Mets vs Phillies August 22, 2009
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference