Johnny Binky Jones Trade: Turkey Swap Explained
- This Thanksgiving, as you carve into your turkey, consider this: once, a professional baseball player was literally traded for one.
- What: Chattanooga Lookouts shortstop Johnny "Binky" Jones was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for a 25-pound turkey.
- Joe Engel wasn't your typical baseball owner.he was a master promoter, a showman in the vein of later figures like Bill Veeck.
The Time a Baseball Player Was Traded for a Turkey: The Story of Johnny “Binky” Jones and Joe Engel
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This Thanksgiving, as you carve into your turkey, consider this: once, a professional baseball player was literally traded for one. This isn’t an urban legend, but a true story from 1931 involving joe Engel, the colorful and eccentric owner of the chattanooga Lookouts, and shortstop Johnny “Binky” Jones. It’s a tale of showmanship, frustration, and a poultry-based transaction that has become a quirky footnote in baseball history.
The Colorful world of Joe Engel
Joe Engel wasn’t your typical baseball owner.he was a master promoter, a showman in the vein of later figures like Bill Veeck. He arrived in Chattanooga in 1929, purchased the Lookouts, and promptly set about transforming the team into a spectacle. He built a new 10,000-seat ballpark, and then filled it with outlandish promotions.
Engel’s stunts were legendary.He once gave away a house with a car in the garage as a promotional item. He staged a fake “wild elephant hunt” at the stadium, complete with costumed hunters and a “prey” elephant. Perhaps most famously, he was instrumental in arranging Jackie Mitchell’s exhibition game against Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, where the female pitcher famously struck out both baseball icons. Engel understood that attracting fans required more than just a good team; it required entertainment.
– davidthompson
Engel’s approach to baseball ownership was revolutionary for its time. He recognized the power of spectacle and understood that fans were looking for an experience, not just a game. He wasn’t afraid to be unconventional, and his promotions, while frequently enough outlandish, were incredibly effective in drawing crowds. He foreshadowed the modern emphasis on fan engagement and entertainment that is so prevalent in professional sports today. His legacy isn’t just about the stunts, but about understanding the business of baseball as a form of entertainment.
Johnny “Binky” Jones: A Shortstop in Decline
Johnny “Binky” Jones’s baseball career was unremarkable. He’d played 10 games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1924, but struggled to find a consistent role. By 1930, he was with the Chattanooga Lookouts, playing shortstop. Unfortunately for Jones, his performance wasn’t up to par. Contemporary reports from the press consistently criticized his hitting ability.
While specific statistics from Jones’s 1930 season with the Lookouts are scarce,the consistent negative commentary suggests he was a liability at the plate. This lack of offensive production frustrated Engel, who was always looking for ways to improve his team – and generate headlines.
The Trade: A Turkey for a Ballplayer
The trade itself is almost unbelievable. Engel, dissatisfied with Jones’s performance, decided to deal him to the Charlotte Hornets of the Class C Piedmont League.But instead of requesting cash,players,or other typical trade considerations,Engel demanded a single item: a 25-pound turkey.
According to a newspaper article from February 1931, Engel requested the turkey specifically to serve it to sportswriters at the Southern Baseball Writers’ Association meeting on February 22nd.He quipped that “the turkey was having a better year” than Jones, a pointed jab at the shortstop’s struggles.
| Player | Team (Traded From) | Team (Traded To) | item Received |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny “Binky” Jones | Chattanooga
|