Living in the Atlanta area, I am privileged to witness first-hand the final weeks of the career of Atlanta Braves future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. Jones, who was profiled in today’s USA Today, has been the face of our franchise for two decades.
What was intended as a celebratory article led me to do some sobering self-examination.  Jones’s ability as an athlete is unquestioned. However, the final comment listed below led me to wonder what those closest to Jones feel will be his legacy as a husband and father. More importantly, it made me wonder, regardless of my professional accomplishments, what my legacy will be with those closest to me.   Â
The following are nine quotes from Jones and others that teach leaders much about leaving a legacy:  Â
- To Leave A Great Legacy You Must Pay A Great Price – “I’ve had seven knee surgeries, so it feels like somebody is jabbing me with a knife in the knee joint with every step.”
- To Leave A Great Legacy You Must Produce – “Stand his states up against the greatest switch-hitters of all time. Stand his stats up against the greatest third baseman of all time. He stands out. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he’s the face of this franchise.” – John Smoltz
- Your Legacy Is Often Written By Others – “I think my legacy is already written. If that’s good enough, awesome. If it’s not, I did the best I could.”
- A Great Legacy Inspires Others – “I went to bed every night watching the Braves play. You didn’t grow up saying, ‘I want to be a big league pitcher.’ You said, ‘I want to grow up and hit home runs, wear my pants up, wear No. 10 and play third base.’ That’s who he was to my generation.” – Craig Kimbrel
- Even If You Make Mistakes You Can Leave A Great Legacy – “I knew from a very early age I was popular in and around Atlanta. I abused it for a while.”
- Leaders With A Great Legacy Continually Improve – “I’m a better person and ultimately a better player as I sit here at 40 than I was at 25.”
- Leaders With A Great Legacy Earn Great Respect – “I’m used to going into parks and getting lustily booed. I take that as a compliment because most of the good players on opposing teams get booed. Now, to hear those boos turn into standing ovations is overwhelming.”
- Leaders With A Great Legacy Finish Well – “I want their last impression of me to be hitting a game-winning three-run homer off Jonathan Papelbon. That’s what I want.”
- However Leaders Leave Their Greatest Legacy At Home – “I’m getting divorced as we speak and it’s a big adjustment for me. First and foremost on my mind is being a more integral part of my kids’ lives since I’ve been a part-time father up to this point.”
Chipper has been an unbelievable player and representative of our city and the Atlanta Braves.  What are your thoughts on Chipper and his Hall of Fame career? Â
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