Davy Jones was born David Jefferson Jones on June 30, 1880 in Cambria Wisconsin. His Major League debut was on September 15th, 1901. He was mostly known for his years playing for the the Detroit Tigers with fellow outfielders Ty Cobb, and “Wahoo” Sam Crawford. He played his last Major League game in 1918. He played for many years after his baseball career in the Old Timers league in exhibition games along with many other great baseball luminaries.

Davy Jones-1904 Chicago Cubs
Nobody smiled in photos back in those days, but they were by no means  accurate portrails of the real personalities of so many of those ball players. That time was known as “the Dead Ball Era” of baseball. The balls at the time were made in such a way that they really were, well….dead. Even with a corked bat, you would be lucky to get an extra base hit. Home runs were much more rare then as well.

 

 

 

Baseball cards in their infancy

Player’s cards were inserted in cigarette packs back in those days, and there were stats on some of them, but mainly the basics with a bit of a player’s bio. With many others, there was just an ad for “full flavored” Piedmont cigarettes on the reverse side of the card or something similar.

1911-Tiger’s card (left card)

 

 

 

 

(Left) “Tin” McCoy & Davy Jones at a game in Havana, Cuba 1951

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Below)
Davy Jones Memorial in Cambria, Wisconsin

Joint effort by baseball historian Dave Stalker, Phil Slinger,and Jay Williams of the Friesland-Cambria Historical Society. Thanks to you all!

The new memorial for the original 1901 Milwaukee Brewers Team at Miller Park. Baseball historian, Dave Stalker, worked very long and hard to make this memorial, and others, a reality. We thank him for his efforts.

Davy Jones in his early years at Dixon College, Ill. (Jones- top row,1st on right)
photo: courtesy of baseball historian Mark Stach, Dixon, Ill.

1900 Dixon College Football Team (Jones – center row, 4th from right)
photo: courtesy of baseball historian Mark Stach, Dixon, Ill.