The Bolles School in Jacksonville announced that its renovated baseball facility will be named after alumnus and Hall of Famer Larry “Chipper” Jones Jr.
“The heart and soul of Bolles Baseball will reside at this stadium where lifelong friendships will continue to form and teams grow stronger together,” Jones said in a July 25 news release. “I will always appreciate my coaches, teammates and teachers for their many contributions to our success.”
Bolles said Jones made the lead gift for the stadium portion of the $3.7 million baseball complex project. The Bolles campus is in San Jose at 7400 San Jose Blvd.
Designed by David Luke Architecture, the facility will have a field house named in honor of Jerry and Bruce Chappell with 3,000 square feet of space for a locker room, a video room, coaches’ offices and an entrance lobby that will showcase more than 50 years of Bolles baseball history.
“The new stadium is a key piece to the overall enhancement of the baseball complex,” said Bolles Athletic Director Rock Pillsbury. “Bulldog Baseball fans will enjoy the improved aesthetics and design as well as the new viewing options from the upper-level patio. We are grateful to Chipper for helping us make this a reality.”
As a Bolles Bulldog, Jones earned all-state honors for three consecutive years, was named the 1989 state tournament MVP in leading Bolles to a state title and was named the 1989 Florida Player of the Year.
He graduated from Bolles in 1990.
He played his entire professional career with the Atlanta Braves after being selected first in the 1990 Major League Baseball draft. Jones was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.
He was the 1999 National League MVP, helped the Braves to the 1995 World Series title and won the 2008 National League batting title. Jones is the only switch-hitter in MLB history to record a lifetime batting average above .300 with at least 300 home runs. His career MLB totals include 2,726 hits, 468 home runs and 1,623 RBIs.
Jones was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, the FHSAA Hall of Fame in 2012, the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame in 2013 and honored with a jersey number retirement ceremony at Bolles in 2014.