[1] He broke his leg while in third grade, and the cast he had to wear caused severe itching.
Jones then played professional baseball for one year in the Baltimore Orioles minor-league system.
In 1961, Jones accepted a position at Jacksonville High School coaching freshman football and junior varsity basketball.
In 1964, Jones led his JHS team to the Sweet Sixteen in the Illinois High School basketball tournament.
[3] He returned to Southern Illinois as an assistant under Joe Lutz in 1968, becoming head coach in 1970.
In 21 years, he led the Salukis to 10 NCAA Division I baseball tournaments and three College World Series.
[5] Twenty of Jones' players went on to play in the major leagues, including Dave Stieb, Steve Finley, and Scott Spiezio.