Sam Jones

*Sam Jones was born on this date in 1925. He was an African-American baseball player.

From Stewartsville, Ohio, Jones pitched the Cleveland Buckeyes to the Negro World Series in 1947. He was known as Red, in the Negro leagues, for his reddish complexion, in the majors Jones became Sad Sam, after the original Sad Sam Jones, and Toothpick Sam for the toothpick he always chewed on the mound. He signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1950 but the rotation of Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Mike Garcia was a tough one to get into.

Traded to the Cubs, on May 12, 1955 Jones threw a no-hitter against Pittsburgh, the first Black man to do so. That year he led the NL in losses (20), strikeouts, and walks (185, while allowing only 175 hits). He repeated as strikeout and walk leader in 1956 and again in 1958 after his trade to the Cardinals. With the Giants in 1959, he was both a leading starter and most effective reliever.

On June 30 of that season, at Los Angeles, an error by Giant shortstop Andre Rodgers was scored a single, keeping Jones from a second no-hitter, He got it instead on September 26, though it was a rain-shortened, seven-inning one against St. Louis. His 21 wins in 1959 led the NL, as did his 2.83 ERA and 109 walks. That year he was the only NL pitcher to receive a MVP vote. After an 18-14 1960 season, Jones was hindered by arm problems, winning only 12 more over the next four seasons.

Hobie Landrith, who caught Jones with the Cubs, Cards, and Giants said, "You've never seen a curveball until you've seen Sam Jones's curveball. If you were a right-handed hitter that ball was a good four feet behind you.” It took a little courage to stay in there because he was wild and he could throw a fastball very hard. Sam Jones died on November 5, 1971 in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Reference:
20th Century Baseball Chronicle
Year-By-Year History of major league Baseball
Copyright 1999, Publications International Ltd.
ISBN 0-7853-4074-2

Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent in 1950.

Sad Sam Jones by Lawerence Ritter
Stats from www.baseball-reference.com

I met Sad Sam Jones in 1964, when I spent a pleasant afternoon with him and his wife in their unpretentious but very comfortable home in Woodsfield, Ohio. That was when I was travelling the country interviewing old-time ballplayers for what later became The Glory of Their Times. Sam had pitched in the American League for a remarkable 22 years. He broke in with the Cleveland Indians in 1914 and went from there to the Red Sox (1916-21), the Yankees (1922-26), the Browns (1927), the Senators (1928-31), and the White Sox (1932-35). Twice a 20-game winner, overall he won 229 games and lost 217. When he left the majors, he retired to his home town, Woodsfield, and remained a highly respected elder of the community until he died in 1966, a few days before his 74th birthday.

Sam seemed in good health when we talked in 1964 and I was surprised by his death only two years later; his son, whom I got to know subsequently, told me that doctors attributed his unexpected demise to overuse of nasal decongestant inhalers!

Sam was a warm and unassuming person. He looked back on his baseball career with pride but no arrogance. Unlike the value system of too many modern athletes, he clearly put politeness and consideration for the feelings of others - including strangers - high among his priorities. If there is any one thing I always recall from our conversation, it is Sam's statement that over a five-year period he never once threw over to first base. He just looked base runners back. And when he finally did throw over to first, and caught the runner out by a mile, the first baseman was so surprised he dropped the ball!