#NeverGiveUp: A Memoir of Baseball and Traumatic Brain Injury

Ruppert Jones is an eleven-year Major League Baseball veteran, a two-time MLB All-Star outfielder, and a World Series Champion. He came from nothing to fulfill his dream of playing Major League Baseball. He battled injuries throughout his career but repeatedly bounced back stronger. In 1980, Ruppert collided with the outfield wall while chasing down a fly ball. The result was a traumatic brain injury that went undiagnosed for over 30 years, during which his personality slowly changed. He turned to drugs and alcohol. He flirted with suicide. His life spiraled out of control, and he lost his family and friends, but he never gave up. Ruppert’s story is about a search for answers during a time when there were no answers. Ruppert’s story is more common today than ever, though now the effects of traumatic brain injuries and CTE are well known, and athletes are doing everything possible to prevent head injuries. The story of Ruppert Jones is not just an athlete memoir – it’s a story intended to help those who have suffered a similar fate and don’t understand what’s happening to them. Read more