(April 8 marks the 50th anniversary of the first major league game in Padres history. To commemorate the occasion, the Union-Tribune is producing a nine-part series on memorable debuts through the years. Today: Chapter Five ... The Greatest Pitching Debut Ever)
Jimmy Jones was preparing to load up his car for the drive back home to Texas after helping the Las Vegas Stars to the 1986 Pacific Coast League championship when Stars manager Larry Bowa called the right-hander into his office.
Jones was going to the big leagues.
“It caught me off guard because the first half of the season I didn’t throw very well,” Jones said.