Carbondale Reporter

The Southern Illinois Athletics Department is set to host a Celebration of Life for Richard "Itchy" Jones, a prominent figure in collegiate baseball coaching. The event will take place on October 25, 2025, at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. In case of bad weather, the service will be relocated to the Charles Helleny Pavilion inside Banterra Center.

Jones passed away on February 17, 2025, at the age of 87. His career spanned nearly four decades across MacMurray College, Southern Illinois University (SIU), and the University of Illinois. He concluded his career as one of college baseball's top-20 all-time winningest coaches with a record of 1,242-752-6.

An inductee into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Jones made significant contributions during his tenure at SIU. Over 21 years as head coach there, he led the team to a record of 738-345-5 and secured ten NCAA Tournament appearances along with three trips to the NCAA College World Series (CWS). Notably, in 1971, SIU finished second at the CWS under his leadership.

Jones' achievements include being named NCAA Division I Diamond Baseball Coach of the Year in 1990 and receiving other national coaching honors throughout his career. During his time at SIU, he coached several future major league players such as Dave Stieb and Steve Finley.

After leaving SIU, Jones continued his coaching career at Illinois where he led the Fighting Illini to notable successes including a Big Ten Tournament title in 2000. His efforts have been recognized through multiple Hall of Fame inductions across various institutions and associations.

In recognition of his contributions to baseball and SIU specifically, Abe Martin Field was renovated and renamed Abe Martin Field at Richard "Itchy" Jones Stadium for its reopening in 2014. Additionally, his jersey number was retired by Southern Illinois University in 2022.

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