Jesse Franklin Winters (December 22, 1893 – June 5, 1986), nicknamed "Buck" and "T-Bone", was an American right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies from 1919 to 1923.

He also played in the minor leagues until 1925 for the Kansas City Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Senators, Portland Beavers and Wichita Falls Spudders.

He split his career between the major leagues and the minors, spending four full seasons and a part of a fifth at the former level.

[2] He was a highly touted young player at the onset of his career, being initially compared to Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson and eventually former 21-game winner Ferdie Schupp.

[3][4] According to contemporary accounts of the time, his assets were many-fold: "He has every physical qualification", stated the New York Tribune, "as well as a varied assortment in the pitching line.

[4][5] Following his playing career, he owned a tire company in Abilene, Texas, later becoming that town's mayor.

[10] Winters began his professional career in 1916 with the Denison Railroaders of the Western Association, though the league disbanded in midsummer.

He was preparing to enter medical school following his tryout with Denison, however the Giants signed him to a professional contract.

[12] He was released to the Kansas City Blues of the American Association under an optional agreement prior to the beginning of the 1918 season.

His early performance impressed Hall of Fame Giants manager John McGraw so much that McGraw considered Winters "...the finest pitching prospect he had seen since Christy Mathewson..."[3] Winters also served in the United States Army after being drafted in June of that year.

His professional career was threatened that year, as his outfit had been ordered overseas to fight in World War I.

[3] However, the war soon ended and Winters was never sent overseas, allowing him to make his major league debut the following season.

[14] The team played its first game of the year on April 23, and about two weeks later, on May 3, Winters made his major league debut.

[2][15] Pitching against the Philadelphia Phillies that day, Giants' starter Jean Dubuc allowed three runs in 5.1 innings.

He saved three games that year, tying for second in the National League behind Oscar Tuero with, among others, Jean Dubuc.

As Winters did not appear in many games in his rookie season, Schupp too spent the early part of his career primarily in the dugout.

[2] He also finished 13 games, which tied Earl Hamilton and George Smith for seventh most in the league.

The record was broken five years later by Jack Wisner, who made 25 appearances without a win or loss.

[26] He was then released to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League with Vern Spencer on April 11.

He went 5–10 with 10 complete games and a 3.63 ERA in 114 innings, allowing 142 hits, 27 unearned runs and 28 walks while striking out 22 batters.

[2] He was second on the team in winning percentage (.500, behind Petie Behan) and games finished (16, one behind George Smith), also leading the club in saves, with two.

[40] Following his playing career, Winters became a businessman, opening up D&W Tire Company in Abilene, Texas, in 1929, which he owned until 1950.