Bumpus Jones

Who was Bumpus Jones?

Charles Leander Jones was a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. He was born in Cedarville, Ohio.

Though Jones made only eight appearances in his brief major league career, he saved himself from baseball anonymity when he threw a no-hitter in his first major league appearance with the Cincinnati Reds on October 15, 1892, the last day of the season. The victim that day was the Pittsburgh Pirates, who lost 7–1. Jones was not perfect, as he gave up four walks, and he did not pitch a shutout, as an error led to an unearned run. But it was quite a start, and was his only outing of the season. This is still the latest date in the season that a no-hitter has ever been pitched in major league history.

After that, Jones split 1893 between Cincinnati and the New York Giants, appearing in seven games overall, while going 1-4 with a 10.19 ERA. Jones would never pitch in the majors again. He remains the only player in Major League history to pitch a no-hitter in his first game. Only Bobo Holloman and Ted Breitenstein of the St. Louis Browns and managed to join Jones as pitchers to throw no-hitters in their first major league start, but they had previously appeared in a relief role. According to sabermetrician Bill James, Jones edges out Holloman for the distinction of mathematically least likely pitcher ever to have thrown a no-hitter in the major leagues.