Willie Jones (third baseman)

Jones was born on August 16, 1925, in Dillon, South Carolina. Jones, his brother and sister grew up and lived in the small farm and mill community of Laurel Hill, North Carolina. His father, W. H. Jones, was a master mechanic. Jones attended Laurel Hill High School. He also played American Legion baseball during the summers in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Jones went on to serve his country in the United States Navy during World War II. Jones was given his nickname "Puddin' head" at a young age from a popular 1930s song, "Woodenhead, Puddin' head Jones", though his family called him Ed or Edward (his middle name). == Minor league baseball ==

After the war, Jones played semi-pro baseball for the Bennettsville team in the Palmetto League, with a batting average over .500. His play attracted attention from professional baseball scouts, and Johnny Nee signed Jones to a contract with the Phillies, with a $16,500 signing bonus in late 1946. In 1947, after showing up in training camp out of shape, he was assigned to the Terre Haute Phillies of the Class-B Triple-I league, where he had a .307 batting average, with 10 home runs, 9 triples, 37 doubles, 107 runs batted in (RBI), 99 runs scored, and an .854 OPS (on-base plus slugging). He played shortstop that year and had a .928 fielding percentage. He made the league's All-Star team at shortstop. In 1948, he played his last year of minor league baseball, mainly with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Triple-A International League, batting .275 in 118 games. He was moved to third base where he had a .936 fielding percentage. He played under his future Phillies manager Eddie Sawyer, and was named to the league's All-Star team at third base. He again started 17 games for the Philadelphia Phillies at third base, hitting .333 in sixty at bats. ==Major league baseball==

By 1949, he became the team's starting third baseman, and held that position until 1959. Jones was the top fielding third baseman in the National League (NL) during the 1950s. He led the league in fielding percentage six times, in putouts for seven years (also tying a record), and twice each in assists and double plays. In 1949, he had 19 home runs, and hit four doubles in one game. He had .948 fielding percentage (fourth best in the National League), and led all National League third basemen in games played, put outs and assists. He also led all major league third basemen in errors. Jones came in 27th for Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting in 1949. His 16-game hit streak to begin that campaign was a franchise record that stood for 73 years until Bryson Stott surpassed it on April 18, 2023. He hit .286 in the World Series, which the New York Yankees won 4–0. He was generally acknowledge as the NL's best third baseman. the seven at bats being the most by a player in an All-Star Game. In 1951, Jones hit 22 home runs with 81 RBIs and a career-high .285 batting average. His .966 fielding percentage was third best in the National League, and he led the league in double plays and games played by a third baseman. From 1952 to 1958 he led all National League third baseman in fielding percentage, except in 1957 when he was second. In 1953 and 1958, he led all major league third basemen in fielding percentage. The Gold Glove fielding award did not exist until 1957, or it is possible Jones would have received this award. Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts, who played with Jones in Philadelphia, and with 16-time gold glove third baseman Brooks Robinson in Baltimore, said that Jones was the second-best fielding third baseman he had ever seen (behind Robinson). In 13 seasons with the Phillies, Jones hit .258, with 180 home runs, 753 RBIs, 735 runs scored, 693 bases on balls (compared to only 493 strikeouts), and a .756 OPS. Jones had a .269 batting average at the time, and had started 46 games for the Phillies. After appearing in only 11 games for Cleveland, his rights were sold to the Cincinnati Reds less than one month later. His playing time was significantly reduced in 1960 for the Reds, and the Reds released him in May of 1961, his final year in the major leagues. == Honors ==

In conjunction with the celebration of the centennial of Major League Baseball in 1969, a Phillies all-time great team was selected by a fan vote for which Jones was named the team's all-time third baseman. The players were honored on August 5, 1969, at Connie Mack Stadium before the Phillies' game against the San Francisco Giants. Jones is a member of the Phillies Wall of Fame. ==Personal life==

Jones was married to Carolyn (Goodson) Jones, whom he met while playing in Bennettsville, with whom he had three children, Eddie, Kathie, and Bradley. The marriage ended in divorce. ==Death==

On October 18, 1983, Jones died at the age of 58, of cancer in Cincinnati, Ohio — where he had lived after his playing days were over. ==Highlights==

• Twice All-Star (1950–51) • Tied a major league record with four straight doubles in a game (April 20, 1949) • His six career grand slams as a Phillie ties him for third place behind Mike Schmidt and Ryan Howard • His 2,045 career putouts are 11th-highest in major league history (as of 2025) • Compiled a career 1.39 walk-to-strikeout ratio (755-to-541) • Eight RBI in a game ==References==