CAIRO- Braves fans, donors, and club kids poured into the Family Worship Center of Cairo on Friday night for the Jackie Robinson Boys and Girls Club’s annual Diamond Affair, featuring Braves legend Chipper Jones. 

The Hall of Famer was welcomed with a standing ovation before taking a seat on the stage for a Q&A with Michael Best, the Voice of the Syrupmakers. Best and the Hall of Famer discussed family, baseball, and growing up in a rural town. 

With the event being held on Jackie Robinson’s birthday, Best opened the Q&A with a brief history of Jackie Robinson and the barriers he broke in baseball, prompting him to ask Jones what other barriers the MLB can break down in today’s game. 

“I think the MLB has done a really great job, here in the states, of trying to get more inner city kids involved in baseball,” Jones said. “I personally have baseball fields with my name on them in the inner city of Atlanta. It’s just giving kids who have had less opportunities than we’ve had this field, and getting them off the phone and outside.” 

Jones went on to say, that the MLB has even encouraged baseball globally, as the first game of the year is always played in Japan, with summer games being held in Mexico City. 

“We are trying to grow the game outside of the states, while still putting a big emphasis on promoting baseball to kids,” he said. 

With kids having more access to baseball than ever before, statistically the chances are still rare they will ever make it to the MLB. 

Best cited a recent study, sharing that 7.3% of high school baseball players will play in college, and only .5 of those get selected by the MLB draft. Despite these odds, Best still acknowledged many kids dream of that day, with some younger baseball players in the audience. He asked Jones for advice to kids who have that dream, and the commitment it takes. 

“I remember the day I decided,” Jones said. “I was watching the Game of the Week on a Saturday, and I knew this is what I wanted to do.” 

Jones admitted he knew at an early age that was his dream, but it takes some kids longer. He also told parents in the audience to never force that dream on their child. 

“I have seven boys and one of them played one year of Division 1 baseball,” Jones said. “I know how hard it is, and I’m not going to pressure them into doing something that I did. I know the dedication it takes to play baseball at the highest level. Unless they show you (parents) at an early age that they want to live, eat, and drink baseball, you need to let them pave their own way.” 

Baseball often begins with early recreational programs with Cairo having many robust programs for soccer, baseball, and tee ball. Best asked Jones if rec. leagues impacted his youth in his community. 

Unfortunately, Jones said rec. leagues were non-existent in his small Florida community, but encouraged parents to sign their children up for many different sports, as children learn disciplines in each sport they try, and interact with other athletes of all backgrounds and races. 

“I just feel like it helps kids become a social butterfly,” he said. “I was a social chameleon but I never could’ve done that, had I not played multiple sports. It made me a more well-rounded person.” 

Hearing that, Best asked if Jones’ children are involved in after-school activities, whether it be clubs or multiple sports. 

Jones was proud to say his children are very active in sports and clubs. He noted that his older children only play for their school, but some of his younger kids do play on club teams. 

“My wife and I are running ragged right now,” he joked. 

Best asked Jones about his time in high school, recalling that he originally played for his local school, before transferring for a better academic and athletic opportunity. 

“When you ask about my childhood, I don’t really feel like I turned my back on my hometown,” he said. “I had a better opportunity to go from podunk central Florida to the city, where I would play not only much better talent but would be easier seen in my craft and be pushed academically.” 

Jones said during his time at his local high school, he would not bring home a book, but make A’s and B’s. However, after his transfer, he would bring home up to three hours of homework and learn to truly budget his time and money. 

“I was given an allowance to last the whole week,” he said. “I couldn’t go home every night. I was 15 and living in a dorm room. I had to grow up really quickly.” 

Having to compete against his local school after he transferred showed Jones that the grass wasn’t always greener on the other side, and he quickly decided he wanted the Braves to be his permanent home. 

“I wanted to make it as tough on them (The Braves) as possible to trade me,” Jones said. “I can honestly say I had a great repertoire with everyone in the organization, but especially the general manager.” 

Jones went on to say, he would not go to spring training in a free agent year without an extension in place. 

“I’m a southern kid,” he said. “My parents live six hours from here. There is no other place I wanted to go, and we had a chance to win every single year.” 

Being on the team for so many years, Best had to know what some of Jones’ greatest memories were throughout his time with the Braves organization. 

“I won MVP and I had a batting title and those are some really cool notches to have under your belt,” he said. “Going into the Hall of Fame was something I never thought about when I was growing up, even when I was playing in the big leagues, my wife and I never talked about it.” 

However, even being a member of the Hall of Fame didn’t mean Jones never had missteps. He talked with Best about his debut outing with the Braves, when he collided with the pitcher. 

“I’m screaming ‘I’ve got it, I’ve got it,’ and next thing I know I’m flat on my back,” he recalled. “(Greg) Maddux is going up one side of me, cussing me for everything I was worth. I ran over the $10 million man in my very first start of the big leagues.” 

Discussing Maddux was the perfect segway to Best’s next question, asking who was the toughest pitcher Jones went up against. 

With Jones being a switch hitter, he acknowledged some pitchers would be tough on one side or another, but Randy Johnson “The Big Unit” was always tough. Arguably, though, Jones believed Roger Clemens was the best pitcher he ever faced, never throwing him a pitch right down the middle. 

His answer prompted Best to have Jones further elaborate on switch-hitting and its difficulties. 

Jones admitted he was a right-handed hitter to begin with, but his dad’s favorite player was Mickey Mantle. 

“He was arguably the greatest switch hitter of all times, and one of my goals was to be mentioned in the same presence as him,” Jones said. 

Being a switch hitter required Jones to work twice as hard, though. 

“I’ve got to take twice as many swings to keep both swings on par with each other,” he said. “In a six-month season, you might have six weeks out of the season where your right-hand swing is good, but your left-hand swing is terrible.” 

Wrapping up on his experience with the Braves, Best concluded by asking Jones what fans can expect this year. 

“They’re going to be good,” he said. “We need some depth in starting pitching. We’ve got to get back Spencer Strider. We have to get him healthy. He’s a horse.” 

Jones did admit he’s a little worried about the bullpen, but others are going to have to step up. 

Hearing this, Best was excited, thanking Jones for his time and traveling to Cairo to raise money for the JRBGC. To thank him, members of the JRBGC presented Jones with a basket of goodies, each having the opportunity to shake his hand.