The Southern Illinois University Baseball program mourns the loss of Richard C. “Itchy” Jones, who passed away Monday at 87. A native of Herrin, Jones was a Hall of Fame coach with a remarkable 39-year collegiate career, amassing a record of 1,242 wins, ranking him among the top 27 in NCAA history.
Jones’ journey began in Herrin, where he was a standout athlete despite his small stature. He coached at MacMurray College before returning to SIU, where he led the Salukis to 10 NCAA tournaments and three College World Series appearances. He was named NCAA Division I Diamond Baseball Coach of the Year in 1990.
Throughout his career, Jones coached 18 major league players and was an inductee in nine Hall of Fames. His innovative coaching techniques earned him respect as one of the nation’s top instructors.
Jones battled Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease for nearly three years before his passing in Gore, Oklahoma, surrounded by family . A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date.
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