Happy Chipper Jones day! Plus, a park reopens in his honor

Sure, the jersey retirement ceremony is tomorrow, but Atlanta City Council declared June 27, 2013 an official Jones commemoration day
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This morning, media were out en masse to capture Chipper Jones cutting a big, red ribbon to mark the reopening of West Manor Park ball field. What was a little more surprising was the signed resolution from Atlanta City Council declaring June 27, 2013 “Larry Wayne ‘Chipper’ Jones, Jr. Day.” If you needed one, there’s an excuse to raise a glass tonight.

West Manor is the first of ten fields that will be “gifted” to Jones by the Atlanta Braves in the years to come, meaning they’re being renovated in his honor. No name changes or anything. The Braves are ponying up the cash for the commemoration initiative, and paired with the city for West Manor’s renovations. It’s probable that this will happen again in the future. Costs of the renovation were kept private.

It hasn’t been decided what ball field is up to be renovated next, but the hope is for one park to be completed each year.

And with Jones’ induction into the Braves Hall of Fame happening tomorrow, the star third baseman must be feeling pretty loved by Atlanta. Talking to cameras after the ceremony, Jones said he wasn’t missing baseball right now, but that down the road we might see him “back in a uniform, in some form or fashion.”

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