Jones entered professional baseball playing as an outfielder and catcher for Portland in the Oregon State League in 1891 or 1893, depending on the source. The aging roster sputtered late in 1907 and then lost the pennant on the final day in 1908 to the same team in the
Detroit Tigers. Jones quit the team after the season, citing burnout from having to deal with Comiskey. In 1910, Jones came out of retirement to play for the
Chehalis Gophers after the team's player/manager was reportedly stabbed by another member of the team. Playing for no salary, and with permission from Comiskey, Jones batted .358 to win the
Washington State League batting title. Six years after his last game with the White Sox, he joined the
St. Louis Terriers of the newly formed
Federal League, where he served as a player-manager before the league folded. He had one last stint as a manager with the
St. Louis Browns, but his earlier success with the White Sox eluded him, as his St. Louis teams never finished above fifth place. ==Post career==