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High school sensation Chipper Jones was the first overall pick in the 1990 draft. Atlanta plucked the pitcher/shortstop two months after his 18th birthday.

Jones began his path to the bigs that same year with the Braves rookie league team in Florida’s Gulf Coast League. In 1991 he hit .326 for Atlanta’s low Single-A squad in Macon, Georgia. The following season he made significant strides up the Braves chain.

After beginning ’92 in High-A ball in Durham, switch-hitting Jones earned a promotion to Double-A Greenville where he hit .346. At 20 years old, Jones was destined for the major leagues.

His next stop was Triple-A Richmond where he hit .325 with a .500 slugging percentage. That earned him a September callup.

Shown here is a 1991 Topps card commemorating Jones’ selection as the top pick in the 1990 draft.

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Chipper Jones made his big league debut as a defensive replacement at shortstop on September 11, 1993. The next day he took the field as a pinch runner in the 6th inning of the Braves 6-5 loss to the Padres.

In the bottom of the 7th on September 14th Atlanta skipper Bobby Cox summoned Chipper off of the bench to pinch hit for Jeff Blauser. Jones responded by collecting a hit off of Kevin Wickander in his first major league at bat.

In the collection is this lineup card from that contest. It was posted on the dugout wall of the Atlanta dugout the day Chipper Jones recorded his first big league hit. Filled out entirely in the hand of Hall of Fame manager Cox, the lineup card is signed by the 21-year old Jones, shortstop Jeff Blauser, second baseman Mark Lemke, centerfielder Otis Nixon, and skipper Cox.

The switch-hitter played 19 big league ball seasons in Atlanta and helped the Braves to the postseason 12 times. The 2008 batting champ, Jones drove in at least 100 runs in eight straight seasons from 1996-2003.  A World Champion in 1995, Jones tallied 2,726 career hits, 468 homers, and a .303 lifetime average.

Considered one of the greatest third baseman of all time, Jones earned induction into Cooperstown in 2018.

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Chipper Jones was still enrolled at The Bolles School in Jacksonville Florida when the Braves selected him first overall in the 1990 Major League first-year player. Three years later he made his big league debut at age 21.

Jones never forgot his alma mater. Seven years after his induction into the Hall of Fame Jones became the lead contributor for a stadium at The Bolles School. On July 25, 2025, the school announced the stadium would be named in Jones’ honor.

In a post on the social media platform X, Jones wrote, “Honored! Thankful for 3 of the most important years of my life and the entire Bolles family. Can’t wait to see the stadium.”

Jones on-field contributions to the school were many. In his sophomore season he went 6-3 with a 1.89 ERA while hitting .391 and earning First Team All-State honors. He followed that up with an 11-1 mark and an 0.87 ERA to lead the school to the Florida state baseball championship. In his senior seasons Jones was named the Gatorade Florida Baseball Player of the Year, while finishing as the runner-up as National Player of the Year.

Now the school’s home playing field shares his name.

Shown here is Jones’ signature on Bolles school letterhead.