After fathering a child out of wedlock, Chipper Jones' $8,250,000 Braves contract was in jeopardy amid bitter divorce settlement

In 1998, the MLB was rocked by scandal when Chipper Jones found himself caught in a web of extra-marital affair that threatened not only his reputation but his lucrative $8.25 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Reportedly, his 18-month extramarital affair with a Detroit-based Hooters waitress named Jennifer resulted in the birth of a love-child, Matthew. The scandalous affair was not only a betrayal of his marriage vows but also a blow to his carefully cultivated public image.

Eventually, Chipper's marriage to his then-wife, Karin Fulford, crumbled under the weight of the scandal. They decided to part ways, finalizing their divorce in 2000. The bitter and contentious divorce settlement only served to add fuel to the already fiery media frenzy surrounding the Hall of Famer.

The constant barrage of negative publicity and tabloid coverage had a profound impact on Chipper Jones, both personally and professionally. His performance on the baseball diamond suffered as the media circus and public scrutiny took a toll.

As the storm of controversy raged on, Chipper Jones found himself at a crossroads. However, with time, he rose above the scandal and rebuild his baseball career.

Jones burst onto the scene in 1999 and won the National League Most Valuable Player award. He also secured consecutive NL Silver Slugger Awards in 1999 and 2000. In 2008, he showcased his hitting prowess and was crowned the MLB batting champion, leading all players with an impressive batting average of .364.

Throughout his illustrious career, Chipper Jones maintained a remarkable batting average of .303. On Jun. 28, 2013, the Atlanta Braves retired Chipper Jones' iconic No. 10 jersey. He was further celebrated by being inducted into the Braves' Hall of Fame.

On Jul. 29, 2018, Jones received the ultimate nod of approval when he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

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Chipper Jones found love immediately after divorcing his first wife

Jones (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

After his separation from his first wife, Karin Fulford, the charismatic former Atlanta Braves 3B wasted no time in finding new love in Sharon Logonov. As the pair were dating, Logonov got impregnated by Jones and informed the Hall of Famer ahead of a 1999 World Series game.

Finally, Jones and Logonov tied the knot in Mar. 2000. Their union was blessed with three beautiful sons: Larry Wayne III, affectionately known as Trey, Tristen, and Shea.

With time, the couple faced their fair share of challenges, and on Jun. 14, 2012, they made the decision to separate. In November that year, their divorce was finalized.

In 2015, Jones got hitched for the third time with former Playboy model, Taylor Higgins. They share two sons together.