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MLB History: Charley Jones has first two homer game in majors

By David Hill

Mar 21, 2017; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; General view of a bat balanced on its head prior to a spring training game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Kansas City Royals at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2017; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, AZ, USA; General view of a bat balanced on its head prior to a spring training game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Kansas City Royals at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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One of the first sluggers in MLB history, Charley Jones was a fan favorite, even if he was a controversial player during his career. On this day in 1880, Jones became the first player to hit two homers in a single game.

These days, a two home run game is not all that uncommon. There are seemingly one or two a week, especially now that we appear to be in another power era in the game’s history. With the young sluggers throughout MLB right now, it is peculiar not to have that type of power show over the course of a few days.

However, in the early days of the game, homers were as scarce as honest politicians. The home run leaders were in single digits, and in 1878, Paul Hines led the National League with a whopping four homers. In fact, it took a decade of Major League Baseball to be played before Charley Jones, on this day in 1880, had the first two homer game in MLB history. Interestingly, both homers came in the eighth inning of the 19-3 defeat of Buffalo, with Tom Poorman serving up both homers.

This was not the first time his home run prowess had garnered attention. He was the NL leader in homers in 1879, hitting nine. Although he would only hit five homers that year, Jones rebounded by hitting ten in 1883, and continued to be a solid slugger for the rest of his career.

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That ability to hit home runs made him a fan favorite, but he was a thorn in the side of the teams he played for. Jones was banned from the game for two years after he refused to play for the Boston Red Caps in 1880. For his part, Jones claimed he was not paid, and even had a local sheriff take a portion of the ticket sales from a game on May 14, 1881. He eventually returned with the Cincinnati Reds in 1883, a team that he had helped construct for the 1882 campaign.

Jones also earned notoriety after his playing days, and for a long time after his death, as being one of the most notable players that the details of his death were unknown. His career had ended after a few years in the minors in 1891, and he seemingly disappeared after an article in 1909 noted a benefit had been held for the former slugger, as he had fallen ill. Later research discovered that he had passed away in New York City in 1911.

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The first player in MLB history to hit two homers in a single game, Charley Jones remained a mystery for over a century after his death. Finally, the final chapter of his life was uncovered, and one of the early sluggers in the game could have his story come to a proper end.

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