Ruppert Jones

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Ruppert Sanderson Jones (born March 12, 1955 in Dallas, Texas) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Kansas City Royals (1976), Seattle Mariners (1977-79), New York Yankees (1980), San Diego Padres (1982-83), Detroit Tigers (1984), California Angels (1985-87).

An All-Star in 1977 with the Seattle Mariners and 1982 with the San Diego Padres, Jones was the first player selected by Seattle in the 1976 expansion draft. A left-handed hitter with good speed early in his career, Jones hit 24 home runs in Seattle's inaugural season.

Ruppert's finest season came in 1979 playing with a rejuvenated Seattle team that won 11 more games and scored 97 more runs than the previous year. With Bruce Bochte, Willie Horton and Dan Meyer teaming with Jones in the revamped Mariner lineup, Jones established career highs in Runs (109), RBI (78), Hits (166), Triples (9) and Stolen Bases (33) while playing in every game.

Jones held the Mariners record for most runs scored in a season (109 in 1979) and he is tied for club records for runs and walks in a single game. Against Detroit on May 16, 1978, he tied a major league record for most putouts by an outfielder in an extra-inning game with 12. As a member of the Angels in 1985, he enjoyed a very productive season, slugging 21 home runs in only 389 at bats.

In his career, Jones batted for .250 (1103-4415), with 147 home runs, 579 RBI, 252 runs, 215 doubles, 38 triples 143 stolen bases, a .416 of slugging average, and 534 base on balls for a .330 on base percentage.

He was known as "Rooftop" Ruppert to fans of the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers due to his prodigious home run blasts off the third deck in right field at Tiger Stadium, some reaching the rooftop. On June 24 of that year, Jones cleared the right field roof with a shot off of the Seattle Mariners' right-hander Tom Tellman.

Milestone

Rupert Jones joins Ricky Lee Nelson, Dave Kingman, Alvaro Espinoza, José Canseco and Kevin Millar as the only players in MLB history to hit a fair ball that got stuck in a stadium obstruction. Resource: Baseball Library

Quote

"This man is a legend, plain and simple. On the real field he was both the first Seattle Mariner and the first Seattle Mariner All-Star. On the fictional field of RBI he is one of the 10 best players in the game. In the game of life he is a devoted father and husband. No matter which arena you view him in, Ruppert Jones is a winner". --Excerpt from: Gantry's RBI Baseball Page.