Jones, Jim

In baseball, his stand-out play at shortstop helped his Youth Center baseball team win three “Hot Stove State Championships”, in 1959, 1961 and 1963. At Longfellow Junior High, his teams won city championships in football and basketball. Both of those championships were the result of undefeated seasons. It was the first time in 17 years, that Longfellow had gone undefeated.

Jim earned two varsity letters in football at Lorain High School. As a senior he led the Steelmen in yards gained with 1,218, passing for 662 and rushing for 556, while scoring 42 points. Jim’s stellar senior season culminated by being voted to The All-Buckeye Conference Offensive First Team. He was also named the Buckeye

Conference “Back Of The Year” and received All-Ohio Honorable Mention.

Jim earned three varsity letters in basketball and averaged 11.5 points a game during his junior year. A high light of the season was a win over Elyria, knocking them out of the conference championship, Jim scored 23 points in that game. He finished with a 17.6 average in his senior year and was named to the All-Buckeye

Conference Second Team.

Jim also earned three varsity letters in baseball at shortstop for LHS. As a senior, he was the team captain and led the Steelmen to sectional and district championships, the season ended one game short of the state finals. Jim’s outstanding play and .450 batting average earned him an invitation to the State of Ohio All-Star Series in Columbus. The States outstanding seniors were selected to play in the 1964 annual East/West three

game series.

The arrival of Jim Jones at Baldwin-Wallace College in 1964 established the beginning of great things for their football and baseball programs. He has the distinction of becoming their starting quarterback and starting shortstop as a freshmen.

Coach Lee Tressel described him as “cool under fire”. Ranking high in the conference in passing statistics on a regular basis, Jim was an outstanding runner, running with power and speed. In his first starting role, he guided the Yellow Jackets to a victory over Youngstown State College. His “aerial circus” team beat Edinboro State College, 68-0. Against powerful University of Akron, they lost by only one point.

Playing four years at the shortstop position, Jim consistently batted over .300, was the batting star in games many times, voted captain his senior year; and, earned four letters. His team had winning seasons each

year that he played. After graduation from BW, Jim returned to Lorain as a teacher and

coach at Whittier Junior High School. His undefeated 1969 football squad captured the City Championship.

A career change with the Kimberly Clark Corporation placed Jim in Charlotte, North

Carolina, where he resides with his wife Bonnie, who have four children and five

grandchildren.