| Sam Jones | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1925-12-14)December 14, 1925 Stewartsville, Ohio, U.S. | |
| Died: November 5, 1971(1971-11-05) (aged 45) Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| NgL: 1947, for the Cleveland Buckeyes | |
| MLB: September 22, 1951, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 3, 1964, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 103–104 |
| Earned run average | 3.63 |
| Strikeouts | 1,393 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Negro leagues Major League Baseball | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Samuel "Toothpick"Jones (December 14, 1925 – November 5, 1971) was an AmericanMajor League Baseballpitcher with theCleveland Indians,Chicago Cubs,St. Louis Cardinals,San Francisco Giants,Detroit Tigers and theBaltimore Orioles between 1951 and 1964. He batted and threw right-handed.[1]
Born inStewartsville, Ohio, Jones played for several Negro league teams, including the Orlando All-Stars andOakland Larks in 1946; and theCleveland Buckeyes, where he played under the management ofQuincy Trouppe, in 1947 and 1948; and the Kansas City Royals, a "touring Negro League squad handpicked bySatchel Paige." In 1948-49 he played in Panama, and then, with the end of the Negro National League, played semi-pro ball until he was signed by the Indians organization in the fall of 1949, playing Class A ball in the season and winter ball for Panama in 1949–50.[2]
Jones began his major league career with theCleveland Indians in 1951. When he entered a game on May 3, 1952, 39-year-oldrookieQuincy Trouppe, aNegro league veteran, was behind the plate. Together they formed the firstblackbattery inAmerican League history. Both Sam Jones and Quincy Trouppe played for theCleveland Buckeyes in theNegro American League.
After the1954 season, the Tribe traded him to theChicago Cubs for two players to be named later, one of whom was sluggerRalph Kiner. In1956, the Cubs traded him to theSt. Louis Cardinals in a multi-player deal; prior to the1959 season, he was dealt this time to theSan Francisco Giants forBill White andRay Jablonski. He was picked 25th by the expansionHouston Colt .45s in the1961 expansion draft, then traded to theDetroit Tigers forBob Bruce andManny Montejo. He rejoined the Cardinals for the1963 campaign and played 1964 with theBaltimore Orioles. He spent the final three years of his pro career as a relief pitcher with the Columbus Jets of the International League before retiring at the end of the 1967 season.
During his career, Jones was known for his sweepingcurveball, in addition to afastball andchangeup.Stan Musial once remarked, "Sam had the best curveball I ever saw... He was quick and fast and that curve was terrific, so big it was like a change of pace. I've seen guys fall down on curves that became strikes."[3]
During his career, Jones led theNational League in strikeouts, and walks, three times: in1955, 1956, and1958. On May 12 of the first of these three seasons, heno-hit thePittsburgh Pirates 4–0 atWrigley Field, becoming the firstAfrican American in Major League history to pitch a no-hitter. He achieved this after walkingGene Freese,Preston Ward (who was pinch-run for byRomán Mejías) andTom Saffell to begin the ninth inning, he left the bases loaded by striking outDick Groat,Roberto Clemente andFrank Thomas in succession. His greatest year came with the Giants in 1959, when he led the league in bothwins with 21 (tying him withMilwaukee Braves startersLew Burdette andWarren Spahn) andERA with 2.83. He was named 1959 National LeaguePitcher of the Year byThe Sporting News, but finished a distant second toEarly Wynn of theChicago White Sox for theCy Young Award. He was named to the NLAll-Star team twice, in 1955 and 1959.
Jones is one of theBlack Aces, African-American pitchers with at least 20 wins in a single MLB season.[4]
Jones died from a recurrence of neck cancer first diagnosed in 1962, inMorgantown, West Virginia on November 5, 1971, at the age of 45.
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher May 12, 1955 | Succeeded by |