Culture
Randy Jones, Padres Pitcher and Cy Young Winner Who Later Resonated as San Diego Baseball’s Heart, Passed Away at 75
Randy Jones, Padres Icon and Cy Young Winner, Dies at 75
Randy Jones, the San Diego Padres legend whose development of a deceptive pitch and a down-to-earth way of interacting with people helped make the club that was just starting up, become well known, died at 75.
The Padres made the announcement about his passing on Wednesday, Nov. 19, without giving any information about the cause.
“We are deeply sorrowful and heavy-hearted that the Padres lose their great left-hander Randy Jones,” the club said in a statement. “Randy was a fixture of our organization for more than 50 years, capped by his becoming the first Padres pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. Having been inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame in 1999, his influence and popularity continued to grow long after he had retired the playing field, as he became a great ambassador for the team and a true fan favorite.”
Padres Recall Randy Jones as One of Their “Giants” Both on the Field and Off
The Padres said: “Running into RJ and chatting baseball or life was something that made happy life to all those who were fortunate to spend time with him. Randy was very much a part of San Diego, the Padres, and his family. He was a titan in our lives and a great part of our franchise history.”
Jones’s death leaves a gap in the lives of his wife, Marie, and their family. The statement read: “Our deepest sympathies go out to his wife Marie and the whole Jones family during this hard time. RJ will be missed dearly.”
Randy Jones’ Father-Like Two-Year Run that Made Him a Padres Icon
Randy Jones, who came into this world on January 12, 1950 in Fullerton, California, was a pick by Padres from Chapman College in 1972 and made his debut in the Major League the next year.
He made a 10-season appearance in the big leagues from 1973 to 1982, but it was his phenomenal 2-year period of 1975 and 1976 that really made him indelible in the history of the Padres. During this time, he collected a combined record of 42–26 with an ERA of 2.50 and 43 complete games while he was on the mound for teams that were often losing.
Randy Jones was selected for the All-Star team in both years, thus he was credited with the save in 1975 and subsequently, he was given the win as the National League’s starting pitcher when he went out the next summer.
Randy Jones’ Unhittable Sinker and Cy Young Season
In 1975, Randy Jones came close to winning the Cy Young Award but had to settle for second place behind Tom Seaver. He then went on to win the award in 1976 when he led the Major Leagues in wins (22), starts (40), innings (315 1/3), and complete games (25). By the time he had won 16 games and lost only 3, the cover of Sports Illustrated was his as well, his sinker confounding hitters even though the fastball hardly ever went over 80 mph.
His stuff was to such an extent that even Pete Rose—the greatest hitter in the history of baseball—once decided to stop switch-hitting when he faced him and came from the left side but ended up looking at strike three on a slider.
The “Everyman” Ace San Diego Fell in Love With
Fans loved Randy Jones not only for his overpowering performance on the mound but also for how friendly and close to the people he seemed. With his trademark ’70s perm and soft‑tossing arsenal, he became the most relatable star of a young Padres team that was still in the process of figuring out its identity.
During his 1976 starts at San Diego Stadium, the crowd was almost twice as large compared to other games, and his walk to the bullpen before the game was often greeted by a roar of the fans.
“There was an everyman quality about him,” the late broadcaster Hal Clement said in a 1996 interview, according to MLB.com. “He wasn’t 6-foot-6, cut and lean. He was an average-sized guy who didn’t throw especially hard. He got by on guile and intelligence.”
San Diego Padres Couldn’t Have Been More Confident When Randy Jones Was Pitching
Ex Padres announcer Bob Chandler said Randy Jones’ outings were “like David against Goliath,” and that the team “expected to win” whenever the sly southpaw took the mound.
However, Jones’ intense pitching eventually affected him. In his last start of the 1976 season, he left the fans with a torn nerve close to his left biceps tendon, an injury that required surgery and took away the dominance that he had at his peak.
After the 1980 season, San Diego sent Jones to the New York Mets in a trade. He played two more seasons in New York and then retired in 1983.
Randy Jones’ Lasting Bond With San Diego On and Off the Field
Randy Jones was a huge part of the San Diego sports scene even after he left the field. He moved to the North County area and as a team ambassador, he was always around Petco Park, talking with fans and making appearances on pregame and postgame broadcasts. His Randy Jones BBQ stands were a big part of both Qualcomm Stadium and Petco Park.
In 2017, Jones announced that he had throat cancer. After undergoing treatment, he announced a year later that he was cancer-free. During his later years, he often talked about the “magical” connection he had with Padres fans.
The Padres retired his No. 35 in 1997 and he was one of the first members to be inducted into the franchise Hall of Fame in 1999, thus, making him one of the greatest San Diego baseball players of all time.
