Ballplayer

By: Chipper Jones, Carroll Rogers Walton, Bobby Cox - introduction

Narrated by: Mark Deakins, Chipper Jones

Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones—one of the greatest switch-hitters in baseball history—shares his remarkable story, while capturing the magic nostalgia that sets baseball apart from every other sport.

Before Chipper Jones became an eight-time All-Star who amassed Hall of Fame–worthy statistics during a nineteen-year career with the Atlanta Braves, he was just a country kid from small town Pierson, Florida. A kid who grew up playing baseball in the backyard with his dad dreaming that one day he’d be a major league ballplayer.

With his trademark candor and astonishing recall, Chipper Jones tells the story of his rise to the MLB ranks and what it took to stay with one organization his entire career in an era of booming free agency. His journey begins with learning the art of switch-hitting and takes off after the Braves made him the number one overall pick in the 1990 draft, setting him on course to become the linchpin of their lineup at the height of their fourteen-straight division-title run.

Ballplayer takes readers into the clubhouse of the Braves’ extraordinary dynasty, from the climax of the World Series championship in 1995 to the last-gasp division win by the 2005 “Baby Braves”; all the while sharing pitch-by-pitch dissections of clashes at the plate with some of the all-time great starters, such as Clemens and Johnson, as well as closers such as Wagner and Papelbon. He delves into his relationships with Bobby Cox and his famous Braves brothers—Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, among them—and opponents from Cal Ripken Jr. to Barry Bonds. The National League MVP also opens up about his overnight rise to superstardom and the personal pitfalls that came with fame; his spirited rivalry with the New York Mets; his reflections on baseball in the modern era—outrageous money, steroids, and all—and his special last season in 2012.

Ballplayer immerses us in the best of baseball, as if we’re sitting next to Chipper in the dugout on an endless spring day.


Read by Mark Deakins, with the prologue and epilogue read by the Author

Critic reviews

Praise for Ballplayer

“Baseball fans will revel in the anecdotes and behind-the-scenes look at the game.”
—Booklist

“Fans will find a clear, readable old-school account of a player who almost certainly will be voted into the Hall of Fame.”
—Kirkus

“Jones, one of the best switch hitters in Major League Baseball history…offers an insider’s look into professional baseball.”
—Publishers Weekly

Eye opening!

Eye opening to not just the player and his career but his life and the experience.

Chipper is the Face of the 14 Year Braves Dynasty

The Atlanta Braves captured 14 consecutive division titles and five World Series.

Soon to be inducted at Cooperstown, Chipper Jones, was the face of this tremendous Braves Dynasty that also featured three incredible Hall of Fame pitchers, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz.

Great Book!

Truly enjoyed this book! If you are Chipper Jones fan or even a baseball fan it’s great read! Already recommended it.

Great Story

Glad Chipper read it himself. Not a Braves fan but always liked Chipper. Met him at the PA Sportsman show and he was down to earth and really a cool guy.

Perfect for baseball fans

An inside look at a great career and complicated life. A wonderful behind the curtain look at a Braves icon.