Chipper Jones
A switch-hitting cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves, whose sweet swing and baseball intellect made him the face of a franchise for a generation.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American baseball player·Birthday: April 24·Generation X
Biography
Chipper Jones wasn't just a great player; he was the consistent, articulate heartbeat of the Atlanta Braves throughout their historic run of division titles. Drafted first overall in 1990, he arrived as a can't-miss prospect and spent his entire 19-year career justifying that faith. More than a power hitter, Jones was a student of the game, a switch-hitter with such natural balance and vision that he batted over .300 from both sides of the plate for his career. He anchored the lineup during the Braves' 1995 World Series victory and captured an MVP award in 1999 with a staggering offensive season. In an era of sluggers, his value was in his complete game—excellent plate discipline, reliable defense at third base, and a clubhouse presence that blended Southern charm with fierce competitiveness. His retirement marked the end of an era for Atlanta, closing the book on one of the most productive and loyal careers in modern baseball.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Chipper was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chipper Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Chipper's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 1999 National League Most Valuable Player Award after leading the league in on-base percentage and slugging.
- Was a key member of the Atlanta Braves team that won the 1995 World Series.
- Won the National League batting title in 2008 with a .364 average at age 36.
- Finished his career with a .303 batting average, 468 home runs, and was an eight-time All-Star.
Did You Know?
He was named 'Chipper' by his father, who said his son was 'a chip off the old block.'
He is one of only four players in MLB history to have a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, and .500 slugging percentage from both sides of the plate.
He hit a home run in his first-ever at-bat at the new Yankee Stadium in 2009.
He married a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.
“I want to be remembered as a guy who played the game hard, the right way, and was a good teammate.”
