"Healthy in '79, he again had Seattle fans chanting, 'Roop! Roop! Roop!" Jones hit a pop fly that lodged in a loudspeaker suspended high in the air between home and first base- the ball never did come down. He makes some fantastic catches in center field. An excellent bunter, Ruppert also has home run power.
He became a Yankee in a multiplayer deal in November. Born in Dallas, he continues to improve. Ruppert was the Royals' third-round pick in June 1973. He was on the brink of stardom when the Royals claimed him in the first round of the expansion draft."
-Jim Hawkins, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1980 Edition
"When the 1979 season ended and the Yankee front office began evaluating club personnel, it was decided that center field was a gap that should be filled. On November 1, Ruppert Jones became a Yankee via a trade with the Seattle Mariners and center field never looked better. Where there was a gap, there was now a solid all-around 25-year-old ready to make his mark in Yankee Stadium.
Ruppert is a rare blend of speed, grace and power. He is a fine fielder who has enough speed to cover the vast territories of the Yankee outfield. That is evidenced by the fact that he was second in the A.L. in putouts and total chances. He can also throw with anyone, as his fourth place ranking in assists will attest to, and his accuracy will surely be a welcome addition to the club.
Offensively, Ruppert adds a new dimension: a combination of speed and power. He stole 33 bases last season, seventh in the A.L., and he scored 109 runs. But he also hit 21 home runs, proving that the 24 he hit in 1977 were no fluke. With that good eye and his keen instincts to draw the walk, 85 last year and a .358 on-base percentage, you're sure to see Rupe on the bases quite often.
Originally drafted by Kansas City in 1973, Ruppert was immediately tabbed an outstanding prospect. It was no surprise when the Mariners selected him as the very first player for their club in the 1976 expansion draft. He now seems ready to put his talents to work for the Bombers."
-The New York Yankees Official 1980 Yearbook
"Jones played in all 162 games for the Mariners in '79, setting Seattle club records by scoring 109 runs, walking 85 times and hitting nine triples. Rupe ranked eighth in the American League in runs, at-bats and triples, and seventh in stolen bases and walks. He hit 21 home runs last year, including homers in four straight games (May 15-19). In addition, he stole 33 bases in 45 attempts, including one stretch of 17 without being caught. Ruppert hit 29 doubles and drove in 78 runs while hitting .267, and had a .358 on-base percentage, reaching base 254 times.
Ruppert was second to the Blue Jays' Rick Bosetti among American League outfielders in putouts and total chances but committed only five errors, eight less than Bosetti in 17 less chances. His 13 assists tied him with Lou Piniella for fourth among the league's outfielders and gave Rupe three straight years of double figures in assists.
He came on strong in the late months of the season, batting .328 in August and .304 in September. Jones had a 14-game hitting streak from September 14-29, raising his average from .259 to .269. He had his best success against the Angels, batting .385 against them, with four homers and 12 RBIs, and hit .313 against the Blue Jays. Rupe hit .293 in the Kingdome, hitting 17 of his 21 homers there.
Jones was Kansas City's number three pick in the June 1973 Free Agent Draft and progressed rapidly through the Royals minor league system. In his first year in pro ball, he was named to the Pioneer League All-Star team while playing for Billings. In 1976, he led the American Association in homers (19) and RBIs (73) while playing for Omaha. He was called up to Kansas City on July 31 of that year, and singled off Gaylord Perry in his first major league at-bat; he hit his first home run in Boston off Rick Wise on August 29.
Rupe was the first player selected in the 1976 American League expansion draft. He had a good rookie year for the Mariners in 1977, was the only rookie selected to the AL All-Star team, and was selected to the Topps Major League All-Rookie team. Jones hit 24 homers in '77, tops among A.L. center fielders, and had homers in three straight games against the Red Sox in the Kingdome (May 13-14-15). He hit a home run to end Dennis Eckersley's hitless inning streak at 22.1, two outs away from Cy Young's record. Ruppert hit the first ever Mariner, and first ever Kingdome, inside-the-park home run against the Yankees' Sparky Lyle.
Ruppert had surgery on November 16,1977 to repair a torn cartilage in his left knee. He then had an emergency appendectomy in Boston on June 17, 1978 and stayed on the disabled list until July 20. Ruppert still stole 22 bases in 28 attempts. He tied a major league record for center fielders on May 16, 1978 by recording 12 putouts in an extra-inning game.
Jones was an outstanding three-sport athlete at Berkeley (Cal.) High. He batted .478 in his senior year and was selected All-State. An excellent guard in basketball, he's one of only two players to earn All-Tournament honors three times in the Northern California Basketball Tournament of Champions. A wide receiver in football, Rupe was offered a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley.
He enjoys karate, racquetball and basketball."
-New York Yankees 1980 Media Guide
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