Jack Ness

John Charles Ness (November 11, 1885 – December 3, 1957) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox.

While playing in the Pacific Coast League in 1915, Ness had a 49-game hitting streak.

Career Ness was born in Chicago, Illinois.

In 1910, Ness moved up to the Class B Tri-State League with the Williamsport Millionaires. He batted .315 that season and led the league in hits, with 129. This performance earned him a roster spot on the Detroit Tigers, and he made his major league debut on May 9, 1911. In 12 games for the Tigers, he batted just .154. On June 15, he was traded to the New England League's New Bedford Whalers.

In the summer of 1915, Ness made baseball history. Starting on Memorial Day and going through until July 22, he hit safely in 49 consecutive games. His streak shattered the previous Pacific Coast League record of 29 games and also broke Willie Keeler's all-time professional baseball record of 44, which was set in 1897. During the 49 games, Ness had 79 hits and batted .457.

Ness ended the 1915 season with a .339 batting average and 16 home runs in 186 games. Ness played 75 games for Chicago. He batted .267 with 1 home run and 34 runs batted in. The Chicago White Sox would win the American League pennant and World Series in 1917. Ness' replacement at first base, Chick Gandil, would later become the ringleader of the Black Sox Scandal.

Ness never played in organized baseball after 1916. He died in 1957, in DeLand, Florida.