Longtime Illinois and Southern Illinois baseball coach Richard “Itch” Jones died Monday at age 87, the Illinois athletic department announced.
Jones coached the Illini for 15 seasons after 21 years at SIU, compiling a career record of 1,240-752-6. He began his career at Division III MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill.
Jones was a two-time Big Ten coach of the year, four-time Missouri Valley coach of the year and a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He led the Salukis to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and three trips to the College World Series (1971, ’74 and ’77).
At Illinois, he won two Big Ten regular-season titles and a Big Ten Tournament title. When he retired in 2005, he ranked 13th on the NCAA Division I wins list.
“We lost a Legend,” Illinois baseball coach Dan Hartleb posted on social media Monday night. “I lost my mentor. As a former player and coach I have been blessed to have had Itch in my life for 40 years. He was a true champion. I would not be where I am today without his guidance. A second father and the best human I have ever been around.”
Jones coached at least 22 future major-league players and more than 100 who played professionally, according to Illinois. The list includes seven-time All-Star Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb, five-time Gold Glove center fielder Steve Finley and current Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton at SIU and former Oakland Athletics and Anaheim Angels infielder Scott Spiezio at Illinois.
Shelton told The Athletic in 2020 that he admired Jones from the time he was 8 years old after meeting him through his father, a high school coach.
“I saw him as the ultimate upper-level coach,” Shelton said. “My freshman year was a little surreal, just that I was there playing for him. The more that I was around him, the more I realized how much I had to learn about the game and all its nuances.
“He’s always looking for something, even now. He’ll ask about, ‘What are you doing? How are you doing it? Why are you doing it?’ My thirst for learning really comes from him.”
Jones battled Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease for nearly three years, according to Illinois. He is survived by his wife, Sue, two children and two grandchildren.
