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NCAA Division I Baseball's 15th all-time winningest coach, Richard "Itch" Jones enters his 15th season as head coach of the Fighting Illini baseball program in 2004. An American Baseball Coaches Asso-ciation Hall of Fame inductee, Jones holds a career 1,207-729-5 (.622) record, also making him the eighth winningest active coach in NCAA Division I Baseball.
After a 1999 season that saw Illinois advance to the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth-straight year, Illinois did something in 2000 that had not yet been accomplished by an Itch Jones-coached squad: win the Big Ten Tournament. The fourth-seeded Illini rode its pitching staff to a championship and, more importantly, the Big Ten's automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. Jones then led the 2001 team to yet another Big Ten Tournament bid, this time as the fifth seed, as Illinois put together a 29-28 record. The last two seasons have seen Illinois miss the postseason, but 2002 and 2003 have not been without highlights, as those years featured two Freshman All-Americans, an All-American, the Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, 10 All-Big Ten selections and six athletes who have since moved on to professional baseball careers.
Jones had his finest season as Illinois' head coach in 1998, leading his squad to a 42-21 record and the first regular season Big Ten Championship for Illinois in 35 years. The Illini subsequently were selected to the NCAA Tournament, where in the South I Regional at Gainesville, Fla., the fifth-seeded Illini fell to top-seeded Florida in the title game in extra innings, falling two outs short of qualifying for the school's first-ever appearance in the College World Series.
On April 8, 1998, Jones became only the 18th coach in NCAA Division I Baseball history to win 1,000 games in his career when Illinois defeated Western Illinois, 18-2. The accolades did not stop there. Following the 1998 season that saw Illinois win 40 games for the first time since 1990 and advance further in the national tournament than ever before, Jones was honored as both the Big Ten and ABCA Mideast Region Coach of the Year.
Prior to joining Illinois in 1991, Jones created a baseball dynasty in 21 years as head coach at his alma mater, Southern Illinois. Jones propelled the Salukis into the national spotlight, leading SIU to a 738-345-5 (.681) record, including 10 NCAA tournament appearances and three trips to the NCAA College World Series. In 1971, his second year at SIU, Jones led the Salukis to within one game of the national championship, finishing second at the CWS. In 1974 and 1977, Jones brought SIU to the CWS once again, placing third both times.
In 1990, Jones' 21st and final season at SIU was somewhat of a storybook ending. He not only led the Salukis to an incredible 49-14 record and sixth Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 14 seasons, but his team also advanced to the NCAA Regionals as the second seed. SIU came within one game of advancing to yet another CWS berth.
For his hard work and dedication, Jones was named 1990 NCAA Division I Diamond Baseball Coach of the Year. He has been selected national coach of the year two times, earning Adirondack National Coach of the Year honors in 1971 and The Sporting News Coach of the Year Award in 1978.
In 12 NCAA tournament appearances, Jones has compiled an impressive 33-26 (.559) record.
In the last 14 seasons, Jones has sent 34 players into professional baseball, adding to the more than 100 players and coaches he had already sent to the professional baseball or coaching professions. That includes an unprecedented five members of the 2000 team, including first-team All-American and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Jason Anderson, along with Chris Basak, Craig Marquie, D.J. Svihlik and Mitch Walk. One, Matt Vorwald, joined the pro ranks following the 2001 season, and both of Illinois' 2002 first-team All-Big Ten selections, lefthander Andy Dickinson and catcher Patrick Arlis, made the jump to the minor leagues in 2002. Brandon Cashman, Dave Mazurek, Justin Olson, Sean Patrick and Andy Schutzenhofer joined their former teammates in the Major League system in 2003.
Those groups join 1999 squad members who signed professionally: Jon Anderson, Jimmy Journell, Tim Lavery and Dan O'Neill, along with '98 graduates Dusty Rhodes, Aaron Nieckula and All-American and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Brett Weber, as the latest additions to the professional ranks.
Other former Illinois players Jones has sent to the minor leagues include 1996 All-American Brian McClure, '96 Big Ten Player of the Year and NCAA Home Run Champion Josh Klimek, and Sean Mulligan. Jones has also seen four of his former Illini (Larry Sutton, Scott Spiezio, Jason Anderson and Jimmy Journell) break into the major leagues to join his numerous SIU players already there.
Jones is also well-known on the international scene having worked with the USA national team, serving once as head coach and once as an assistant. As the head coach, his USA national team finished second to Korea at the World Games.
A native and long-time resident of Herrin, Ill., Jones graduated from Southern Illinois in 1960, lettering in baseball and basketball. He earned his bachelor's of science degree in physical education in 1961 and master's degree in physical education from SIU in 1965.
Jones was the Salukis' baseball MVP in 1957 and earned All-Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors three times as a second baseman. After a professional playing career in the Baltimore Orioles minor league system, Jones began his coaching career as the assistant basketball coach at Jacksonville High School in 1961. He started his collegiate baseball head coaching career at MacMurray College in 1966, returning to his alma mater for the 1968-69 season as an assistant coach and became the head coach in 1970. He is a member of the Southern Illinois University, MacMurray College, Illinois High School Association Baseball, Illinois High School Association Basketball, Jacksonville High School and Herrin High School Athletic Hall of Fames.
Jones has produced 20 major league players, including former Illini Jason Anderson (New York Yankees) and Jimmy Journell (St. Louis Cardinals) who both made their Major League debuts in 2003. Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb, Anaheim Angels' outfielder Steve Finley, Seattle Mariners first baseman Scott Spiezio, former Kansas City Royals pitcher and Royals first baseman/outfielder Larry Sutton are also successful Major Leaguers who played under Jones in college.
Jones and his wife, Sue, reside in Champaign. They have two grown children, Michael and Susan, and two grandsons, Richard Caleb and Micah Joseph Jones.
