Jones played for several teams; the
Keokuk Westerns,
Hartford Dark Blues,
Cincinnati Reds (NL),
Chicago White Stockings,
Boston Red Caps,
Cincinnati Red Stockings (AA),
New York Metropolitans, and
Kansas City Cowboys. A popular but controversial player, despite his hitting ability he never played for a league champion. On June 10, 1880, Jones became the first big leaguer to hit two homers in the same inning. Both home runs came off Buffalo Bisons' pitcher
Tom Poorman in the eighth inning of a 19–3 rout. Jones best period was from 1883 to 1885, when he hit 22 home runs, had 186
RBI, and batted .310. Through the first nine seasons of the major leagues' existence, Jones held the career record for home runs, despite missing two of those seasons (1881–82) as a result of being blackballed from the sport. In 1887, he dropped to fourth place. By 1889, he was just tenth, and by 1890 he was no longer among the top ten. After his playing career concluded, Jones spent two seasons as an
umpire. He umpired 121 games in the
Players' League in 1890, and 76 games in the
American Association in 1891. ==See also==