Mack Jones
A powerful slugger whose dramatic home run christened a new era for Atlanta baseball and made him an Expo pioneer.
1938–2004 (age 66)·American baseball player·Birthday: November 6·The Silent Generation
Biography
Mack 'The Knife' Jones carved out a solid decade in the majors with a sweet swing that produced timely power. A key part of the Braves' transition from Milwaukee to Atlanta, he etched his name into the new city's sports lore by hitting the first-ever home run in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium—a grand slam no less—during a 1966 exhibition game. While never an All-Star, he was a consistent run-producer, twice driving in over 90 runs in a season. His career found a poignant second act when he was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 1968 expansion draft. As their starting left fielder, he became an immediate fan favorite in the club's inaugural 1969 season, leading the new team in home runs and embodying the excitement of big-league baseball's arrival in Canada.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Mack was born in 1938, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mack Was Born
The biggest hits of 1938
#1 Movie
You Can't Take It with You
Best Picture
You Can't Take It with You
Mack's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1938Born
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1943Started school
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1951Became a teenager
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1954Could drive
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1956Could vote
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Turned 21
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1968Turned 30
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 40
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 50
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
1998Turned 60
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2004Died at 66
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
Key Achievements
- Hit the first home run in Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium history, a grand slam, in an exhibition game on April 9, 1966.
- Led the expansion Montreal Expos in home runs (22) and RBIs (92) during their inaugural 1969 season.
- Recorded two seasons with over 90 RBIs (1965 with Milwaukee and 1969 with Montreal).
- Hit a career-high 31 home runs for the Milwaukee Braves in 1965.
- Was the starting left fielder for the Expos on Opening Day 1969, becoming a foundational player for the franchise.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'Mack The Knife', was a play on the popular Bobby Darin song and a reference to his sharp hitting.
He was originally signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent in 1956.
In the 1969 season with Montreal, he hit three home runs in a single game against the San Diego Padres on July 27.
He was traded from the Braves to the Cincinnati Reds for pitcher Clay Carroll, who later became an All-Star reliever.
After baseball, he worked for the Georgia Department of Labor.
“A home run in Atlanta is a good start for any city.”
