Ruppert Jones
Encyclopedia
Ruppert Sanderson Jones (born March 12, 1955 in Dallas, Texas
) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
who played for the Kansas City Royals
, Seattle Mariners
, New York Yankees
, San Diego Padres
, Detroit Tigers
and California Angels
. He also played one season in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers
in .
An All-Star
in with the Seattle Mariners and with the San Diego Padres, Jones was the first player selected by Seattle in the 1976 MLB Expansion Draft
. A left-handed
hitter with good speed early in his career, Jones hit 24 home run
s in Seattle's inaugural season.
Ruppert's finest season came in 1979 playing with a rejuvenated Seattle team that won eleven 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 game. Against Detroit on May 16, , he tied a major league record for most putout
s by an outfielder in an extra-inning
game with 12. As a member of the Angels in , he hit 21 home runs in 389 at bat
s.
In his career, Jones batted
.250 (1103-4415), with 147 home runs, 579 RBI
, 252 runs, 215 doubles
, 38 triples
143 stolen base
s, a .416 slugging average, and 534 walks
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 Milwaukee Brewers
right-hander Tom Tellmann
. Jones was also a fan favorite on the 1982 Padres, and Padre Yellow "Rupe's Troops" T-shirts were a frequent site during the season.
. He now works with for The Boon Group selling employee benefits to government contractors. He has a daughter, and a son.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
) is a former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who played for the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. He also played one season in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
in .
An All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
in with the Seattle Mariners and with the San Diego Padres, Jones was the first player selected by Seattle in the 1976 MLB Expansion Draft
1976 MLB expansion draft
The 1976 MLB Expansion Draft was held November 5, 1976. This expansion draft was conducted by Major League Baseball to stock the major league rosters of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners, new major league expansion franchises that were set to start play in the ...
. A left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
hitter with good speed early in his career, Jones hit 24 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in Seattle's inaugural season.
Ruppert's finest season came in 1979 playing with a rejuvenated Seattle team that won eleven more games and scored 97 more runs than the previous year. With Bruce Bochte
Bruce Bochte
Not to be confused with Bruce Bochy, a former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the San Francisco Giants.Bruce Anton Bochte is a former utility baseball player with a 12 year career from -, -. He played for the California Angels, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners and Oakland...
, 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
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in a season (109 in 1979) and he is tied for club records for runs and walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in a game. Against Detroit on May 16, , he tied a major league record for most putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s by an outfielder in an extra-inning
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
game with 12. As a member of the Angels in , he hit 21 home runs in 389 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s.
In his career, Jones batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.250 (1103-4415), with 147 home runs, 579 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, 252 runs, 215 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 38 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
143 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, a .416 slugging average, and 534 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
for a .330 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
.
He was known as "Rooftop" Ruppert to fans of the 1984 World Series
1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
Champion Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
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 Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
right-hander Tom Tellmann
Tom Tellmann
Thomas John Tellmann is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for five seasons. He pitched for the San Diego Padres from 1979 to 1980, the Milwaukee Brewers from 1983 to 1984, and the Oakland Athletics in 1985.-External links:...
. Jones was also a fan favorite on the 1982 Padres, and Padre Yellow "Rupe's Troops" T-shirts were a frequent site during the season.
Personal life
Jones now lives in Rancho Bernardo, California, a suburb of San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. He now works with for The Boon Group selling employee benefits to government contractors. He has a daughter, and a son.