Chipper Jones, Atlanta Brave’s Switch Hitting Legend

A single swing can rewrite a night, but a philosophy can define a franchise. We dive into the legend of Chipper Jones—why his switch-hitting precision, calm under pressure, and team-first choices still shape how Braves fans watch the game. From the TBS era that turned living rooms into nightly bleachers to the 1995 title run that cemented Atlanta’s modern identity, we connect the moments that made No. 10 more than a stat line.

You’ll hear how a young shortstop became the Braves’ anchor at third, why more walks than strikeouts signals a rarer kind of greatness, and how hitting .300 from both sides placed him among the elite. We revisit the walk-up pulse of Crazy Train, the last hit at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium and the first at Turner Field, and the infamous infield fly wildcard that tested a city’s patience. Along the way, we unpack undervalued defense at the hot corner, the injuries that complicated perception, and the unselfish move to left field to keep the roster strong.

Stories carry this legacy forward: the AAA brawl punctuated by Jim Thome’s “Are you done?”, the snowbound night Chipper rescued Freddie Freeman by ATV, and the 2012 three-run walk-off that felt like a signature stamped in late ink. We trace how his approach—take what you’re given, hit it where it’s pitched—mentored a new core and kept influencing at-bats long after retirement. If you care about plate discipline, clutch DNA, Braves history, and how players become anchors for an entire fan base, you’ll find plenty to savor.

Enjoy the ride, then stick around with us. Subscribe, share with a Braves fan, and leave a quick review telling us your most unforgettable Chipper moment.

Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com

Transcript

Wake-Up Cold Open

Jerry 0:03

Hey Morgan, is he in there? Yeah, hold on, he's sleeping. Ian. Ian, we're about to drop the episode we did together. It's Jerry, we're about to drop your episode today.

Ian 0:21

What time is it?

Show Intro And Format

Why The Braves And TBS Era Fandom

Jerry 0:22

It's podcast time. Hello and welcome to Fungos and Fastballs, the podcast of baseball history and trivia. I'm your host, Jerry Dynes, and each episode will be a 15-minute snapshot into America's past style. Maybe it'll be a player, a tradition, a stadium, a rule, or some random fun aspect of the game. So let's get on to today's topic. Today we focused on the life and career of Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, who played his entire career with your Atlanta Braves. And joining me today is Lifelong Braves fan and my son-in-law, Ian Goymer, who tells me that number 10 was his favorite player growing up. Hello, Ian. Hello.

Ian 1:17

Thanks for having me.

Jerry 1:19

Ian, let's start with why you became an Atlanta fan, because you grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. Two hours away from Atlanta. So pretty close to Atlanta. Was that the team that was televised the most in your youth?

Ian 1:34

I would assume that is the majority of what it was. I think my parents just always had them on growing up, and that's kind of where I came into the picture. And then that's who I continued watching throughout my childhood.

Jerry 1:46

Ian, I'm older than you, and I won't tell you how old, but when I was growing up, cable TV was becoming the big thing. TBS, owned, of course, by Ted Turner, the owner of the Braves at that time, uh, was one of the first regional channels to get national coverage through cable TV. And so Braves fans were on all the time. So I find, especially if you were not in areas with baseball teams. I grew up in New York, obviously, we had two baseball teams there. So many people became Braves fans from that era. Uh, and then soon after, of course, they had their historic run with that great team throughout the 90s. So, what did you uh like about the Braves as a kid?

Growing Up With Braves Nostalgia

Ian 2:32

Really, I think it was a lot of just that's who my parents enjoyed watching. And so I just have memories of being up at night, sitting in front of the TV, watching with them, and just kind of the nostalgia that comes up with that. And then that kind of led into when I started my own baseball journey uh as a seven or eight-year-old, kind of still continuing to grow that love of the game through both playing it and every night or anytime that I would get to kind of watch those games with my family. We'd just sit around and enjoy watching them. That's kind of where the love of the game grew for, and the Braves were just that was the team that I pulled for. That's who I rooted for.

Jerry 3:09

Chipper was a third baseman through most of his career. Was that a favorite position of yours?

Ian 3:14

Yeah, until I played it myself, uh, and then the ball gets on you really fast. Uh, so I did end up becoming more of like shortstop, second base, uh, personally, but third base is one of I feel like the hardest positions to fill. So a lot of respect for people that can fill that position and do it pretty well.

Third Base Realities And Respect

Chipper’s Career Snapshot And Stats

Jerry 3:33

I would have been a third baseman myself, except I'm left-handed. So it's uh, of course, very hard, obviously almost impossible to be a pro third baseman's left-hander. So that's why I'm doing this instead. So let's get to Chipper's career here. First, let's get some of the stats out of the way, which all baseball fans love but may not come off cross-hezzing on podcasts. 468 home runs, 27, 26 hits, first ballot Hall of Famer inducted in 2018, and played his entire career at Atlanta, which of course is rare at that era or nowadays, too. Uh, primarily as a third baseman. Uh he started out in 1993, but through the 2012 season, really taking only kind of a break for injuries and uh for the 1994, he was sidelined very early in his career by a left ACL injury in the strike short in the season. Uh but one of the greatest switch hitters of all time, uh, in fact, hitting 300 from either side of the plate. I I think he's probably maybe in the top three. Uh again, this is a Yankees fan bias, but a lot of lists have Mickey Mann in the front. And Mickey Mannell was one of Chipper's dad's favorite players, and that's why Chipper took up switch hitting.

Ian 4:48

You remember him, uh his offense there? Very much so. Uh and you brought up his dad, and I think that one of the I'll go on this real quick. One of the funny things that comes up with that is his dad always told him that uh if you can hit in New York, then you can make it in the majors or you can hit anywhere. And his first career home run came against the Mets in New York. Uh so I think that's a funny loop in there. Being able to hit over 300 from both sides of the plate is an incredible feat. And as well as like his plate discipline. Um, I remember that Chipper, one, he would sacrifice power for contact at a time where I think the game was kind of turning to more players trying to swing for the fences. Um, but also he had a great understanding of the strike zone. I think he ended his career with more walks than strikeouts. Um, and that's something that you know, you don't necessarily follow that along throughout someone's career, but you notice every played appearance that they have, just kind of their overall approach and how uh solid their understanding of when to swing, when not to swing, how to kind of get into that head game with a pitcher. Um Chipper was definitely one of the players that I got to witness the most of someone who really had that sound understanding of how to uh approach the game from a hitting perspective. And again, being able to do that from both the left and the right side of the plate is an incredible feat as well.

Jerry 6:06

We mentioned his dad, Larry Wayne Jones Sr. And Chipper was born in uh Deland, Florida. Uh he was a junior, and like a lot of juniors, he was called Chip or Chipper specifically, uh, because he was felt to be a chip off the old block. Uh I'm actually a junior myself, and uh, but nobody ever called me Chipper. I'm I'm kind of sad at that. I was called Little Jerry growing up, which uh you always hate, especially when you're taller than your dad. Could be uh could be due for a rebranding. Uh I think I'll I'll tell my wife and producer maybe to start calling me Chip. You think that'll work?

Ian 6:41

I think, yeah, we'll start calling you Chip, Chipper.

Origins, Nickname, And Draft Path

Jerry 6:44

Yeah. I think it could work. It could catch on, even at uh again, 57. So Chipper started uh in high school as a uh a two-sport player. He played uh he played football and baseball, and uh he actually got a baseball scholarship to be a Miami Hurricane, but uh decided to go pros after the Atlanta used its first pick on him in 1990. Initially he was a shortstop. It was in the minors that he changed to third base, which would remain his his primary position. You mentioned his switch hitting and offense, and uh sometimes he gets a little bit of a knock, probably unfairly, on defense, right?

Defense, Injuries, And Position Switch

Ian 7:23

I think one again, playing third base well is a tough thing to do. And uh I think he was kind of considered to be at best like an average defender from third base. Um it's tough like going from just your visual memory, right? Like I remember him making some crazy plays where he's bare handing the ball, slow rollers down the third baseline, and barreling it across the diamond and getting people out. So like those highlight plays stand out, but uh maybe he had limited range, mobility, whatever it be, they kind of impacted his overall defense. I think one of the things that any team that has like one of those good infilled captains can speak to is I have a lot of those memories of Chipper knowing when to go to the mound as well to kind of give the pitcher a second or to uh kind of provide that positive reinforcement or give a little pep talk. Um, so even when his defense maybe wasn't the best, he was at least trying to help the pitcher out in other ways.

1995 Title And Braves Dynasty

Jerry 8:19

You mentioned those classic bare-handing uh uh plays, which are fantastic. You can go on YouTube and watch them. I I saw some Braves, uh younger Braves fan complaining about uh Chipper's stats on MLB the show. Apparently they were the his rankings come defensively a little low. It was pretty funny to read. Um but no, he was, and perhaps some of that stems from his injury years, uh we mentioned early, but but it's including late in the year, his niece knees and meniscus surgery. Um, he I think he was very unselfish, but his time in left field in the early 2000s may have affected his uh his reputation defensively. But I think it was a very gracious move. He was the the Braves' third baseman. Vinny Castillo was coming back to the Braves, and he uh agreed to move to left field in 2002. In 2004, he was back at third base because uh at that time Mark DeRossa, who uh so many people know from MLB TV's morning show, uh, he was struggling at third base, and so they decided to move Chipper back. Of course, we can't have a podcast on Chipper without mentioning his Fantastic World Series, his only World Series win uh with that Fantastic Braves team in 1995, uh, when uh they uh defeated the then Cleveland Indians over six games. Uh tremendous team, tremendous team, five Hall of Famers, not to mention Hall of Fame uh manager Bobby Cox. You had the the pitching of of Tom Glavin, who would win the MVP, Greg Maddox, John Smaltz, and uh Fred McGriff as well as Jones. I don't know that you were around or remember much about that World Series, uh, but uh you finally did get your World Series more recently, right?

Stadium Firsts And Wild Card Controversy

Ian 10:08

Yeah, indeed. I was definitely not born in '95. A year later I came around, and uh, I've seen the highlights of those games and that run that they made. Um, and definitely many of rain delays. They love to show clips and documentaries from that run and the uh I think it was what 13 straight years of being division winners. So they definitely show a lot of those highlights from uh some of those earlier chipper years, the pitchers you mentioned, um Andrew Jones as well. Um, and those are a lot of the players that kind of were maybe a bridge to, I remember kind of coming in around the baby braves, Jeff Rancor, Brian McCann time, and really those are where some of my more stronger memories come in at. But seeing those videos of some of those earlier players and getting to appreciate uh what they did for the organization. Um, yeah, definitely some nostalgia there.

Jerry 11:01

Some great fun facts about Chipper. He was the last person to hit in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, which is where the Braves played from the 60s to 1996. And then when they took up residence the next year in 1997 in Turner Field, uh, where they were till 2016, he was the first hit. We were also chatting before that his last game was that famous, or should we say infamous infield fly rule game in the 2012 uh National League wildcard game between the Cardinals and the Braves. Do you remember that?

Ian 11:36

I do indeed. That is until we won the World Series, probably one of the moments that uh stood out to me the most is being just frustrating because it was Chippers last year, last game, uh a call that was a ridiculous call in the first place. Uh, and just a lot of, you know, I think as fans, those small moments, especially in the moment we can get really heated and frustrated over, and that definitely uh was the case for me and stuck with me. Uh, I remembered the umpires name, who made the call for a few years there, and I've forgotten at this point who it was, but that was for a few years something that I think I could not get over.

Walk-Up Music And Fan Culture

Jerry 12:12

I think the uh game was delayed for 20 minutes as Braves fans uh threw trash and and various things on the field until they uh they got the game going. Uh other fun facts, do you remember Chipper's walk-on song?

Ian 12:28

I have been recently reminded that it was Crazy Train. Uh yeah, yeah. That was definitely, I think that must have been the reason that my mom was a Chipper and Jones fan. She loves Sam Aussie Osborne.

Jerry 12:40

Yeah, in an era when players were starting in the 90s to really pick their uh walk-on songs. Crazy Train was a good one. It's a great one. I don't suppose you know some of the Chipper Jones fan songs, do you?

Ian 12:52

Not off the top of my head, but I'm interested to see where you go with this.

Bench-Clearing Tale And Hall Class

Chipper Rescues Freddie And Lasting Impact

Jerry 12:56

The Chipper Jones fan song uh online that was to the tune of Dr. Hooks uh on the cover of Rolling Stone. And also I think because uh Chipper used the term uh yickety for home run, uh like going yard, going yickety, there was uh there was a song that was a takeoff on uh Blackstreet's No Diggity, except it was called No Yickity. So uh fans have had these great songs for years. Stats are always essential to talking about players, and of course, baseball fans like myself love stats, but we also love stories too. And one of the great stories is when he was in AAA in the minors, uh he played for Richmond. They disliked Charlotte. This is a a story Chipper told uh around uh the Hall of Fame induction ceremony circuit when he was doing interviews. There was a big fight. Ryan Clesco was at bat, he flung a bat after after the pitcher was giving him some inside pitches there. He flung the bat towards the second baseman. Everything cleared, and who's on the other side? So Chipper's on in the Charlotte's at who's on the other side, but Jim Tomey and Manny Ramirez. And uh Chipper's getting into it, and all of a sudden he realizes he finds himself pinned to the ground with a guy's hand around his neck, and it was uh Hall of Famer Jim Tomey who said, Are you done? And Chipper said, It appears so. Tomey and Jones would go on to be great friends, and in fact, we're part of a killer 2018 Hall of Fame uh class that included Vlad Guerrero Sr. and Trevor Hoffman. Uh the other story which I shared with Ian, and I know Ian was a big Freddie Freeman fan. Uh, do you still like Freddie on the Dodgers? Oh, yeah, he'll always be brave. I don't think anyone dislikes Freddie as much as you may or may not dislike the Dodgers, but everyone loves Freddie Freeman. Well, post-retirement, Freddie Freeman, when he was with the Braves, was stuck in this interesting Atlanta winter spell snowstorm. He's stuck in his car for like five hours. Chipper Jones got on his ATV, drove out in the snow, and rescued Freddie. And you can see pictures of of him coming back with Freddie on the back of the ATV. Uh in fact, Atlanta even had soon after, a Chipper rescues Freddie Bobblehead. So some great stories. I mean, anything you want to add to uh to your enjoyment of uh of Chipper?

The Walk-Off Farewell And Sign-Off

Ian 15:26

Sure, yeah. I think you kind of bring up Freddie, and I think that's an interesting point too. Like Chipper is still, even though he's retired, he's had parts and helping players through uh on the field and apparently off the field struggles as well. Uh but yeah, he's he's been still kind of a key member of talking people through from an approach at the plate standpoint, trying to work out when they're in slumps, ways to get out of it. Um and he served as a heading coach here and there a few times since retiring as well. Um, so he's still very much making an impact on the organization and being a soundboard for players as well, and someone that I think players appreciate his expertise and advice and trying to just figure out. There's definitely been some players that I know Freddie always talks about the idea of like trying to just take what you're given and not trying to do too much and how much of that he kind of took from uh Chipper's understanding of the game and how to kind of hit it where it's pitched instead of trying to pull it or do too much with trying to hit it out of the park. But I also think it it should be uh kind of a fitting uh maybe way to wrap things up here, too, to highlight that Chipper's uh last home run was a three-run walk-off homer against Jonathan Popelbahn uh to cap a five-run comeback against the Phillies uh in 2012 to help kind of get them to the playoff in their playoff push that year as well, uh, which sadly ended with the infield fly rule, but still a neat moment nonetheless. He kind of ended uh kind of in a way that's fitting for his career, a clutch moment, home run, and a clutch part of the game.

Jerry 17:08

It is a great story to end. And thank you, Ian, for joining us today. Thanks to all the listeners. Hope you enjoy, hope you'll keep listening. Don't forget to like us on Spotify or other platforms. This is Jerry Dynes and fun goes in fastball.