>> For the next hour, we'll honor one of Southern Illinois universities and Southern Illinois legends.

He was RItchard Jones to just a couple of people.

He was Itchy or Itch Jones to the rest of us, both inside and outside of college baseball.

Itchy Jones, who died in February of 2025, lived 87 years.

He spent 39 of those 87 years as a college baseball coach.

He was a head coach for 36 of those 39 years.

21 of them came as the head coach of his alma mater, Southern Illinois University, where his teams won 738 games, went to the NCAA tournament ten times and to the College World Series three times.

15 of his 39 years as a head coach were spent at the University of Illinois, where his Illini teams won 474 games and reached the NCAA tournament twice.

A three time college coach of the year nationally, Itchs 1242 career wins were good for 13th nationally when he retired after the 2005 season.

He's a member of nine Halls of Fame.

It's his impact on life and people was large on and off the field.

Hundreds consider him a mentor personally and professionally known for instruction.

He was an in demand clinician nationally and internationally.

Generous to a fault.

Itchy also impacted many with his treasure, not just his time and talent.

Hundreds celebrated Itchs life his family in October 2025 in the stadium that bears his name at SIU Itchy Jones Stadium.

Now hear from the six who spoke of RItchard Itchy Jones's legacy [MUSIC] My name is Mike Reis.

I was the play by play voice for Saluki baseball, basketball and football from 1979 through through 2023.

[MUSIC] It was my privilege to call many of his team's games.

I owe him so much.

Having known him for about 50 years, he was my closest professional friend.

He was one of my closest personal friends, and I'm so honored to be the emcee and a speaker.

So let's begin.

Our first speaker was a Saluki outfielder from 1981 through 1984.

He hit 300 or better in three of his four seasons as a Saluki, and he led his team in hitting his junior and senior seasons.

He was a member of the 1981 Saluki NCAA team.

He's from southern Illinois, Chester, Illinois, and his late father, Rocky, is a Saluki.

He was one of Itchy's teammates in the late 1950s.

Here is Scott Bridges.

[APPLAUSE] >> As we as we start the ceremony here, I think it's only fitting that maybe we open in a word of prayer.

So if you would, would you bow your heads with me and let's pray.

Father God, you are the creator of all things.

Lord, you are the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Lord, we just we celebrate this time that we can get together as, um, as many friends and family and former players.

And we just ask, Lord that you would be a part of this, um, this service, Lord, all that goes on, you would just, um, revel in all of the stories of it.

Lord, thank you for giving it to our lives, Lord.

He's meant so much, Lord.

And we just want to say a special prayer for Sue and MItchael and Susan, and we just offer them up to you, Lord, and ask that you put your arms around them and comfort them, Lord, and may they be just full of joy as they hear the stories about it.

Lord, we pray, Lord, that you just bless it all that goes on.

It's in Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

All right.

So, um, just to start off real quick, Ed Thompson asked me if I was going to be the lead off hitter, and I quickly told him, I'm the number nine hitter and we're going to turn the lineup over to the real players back here.

Okay.

So it's an honor to be with them.

RItchard Itchy Jones was more than a legendary coach.

He was a man of deep character, unwavering integrity and quiet strength.

To those of us who knew him, he was a friend, a mentor, a second father, and a living example of what it means to be a true leader.

You're going to hear many stories today filled with memories of Itch.

I have my fair share, but in these few minutes, I want to share the man off the field.

And in particular, I want to share with you something that you may not know, but a man of deep faith.

The Bible tells us in Joshua 24:15, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

I know that Itch lived this truth not just in words, but in action, guiding his family and players with love, humility, discipline and care.

Church, you may not know, was a big part of Itchs life too.

We all know that Itch love to carpentry.

All odd jobs.

He would help anybody, right?

What you may not know is there's a lot of those jobs were through his church.

Itch was a servant of heart at heart.

He was always putting you and me before him.

I'll remember that about it.

As a husband, he embodied Ephesians 5:25 husbands, love your wives.

Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

His devotion to his wife and family was evident in every decision, every sacrifice, and every quiet moment of support.

You know, we used to take batting practice right here, and it was rare that Itch wouldn't mention his wife Sue, or his kids, MItchael and Susan, around those batting cages.

He would just share stories about what was going on.

He would share why Sue wasn't coming to the game.

It was something to do with we weren't good enough.

But he said, as soon as as soon as we got on a winning streak, she would be there.

So that was pretty funny.

As a father and mentor, he reflected.

Proverbs 20 20, verse seven, the righteous man walks in integrity.

His children are blessed after him.

Itchs legacy lived on in the li he shaped not just through wins and records, but through the values he instilled.

MItchael and Susan especially.

He would just absolutely light up when he would talk about you.

I can still remember this as a proud father myself, I played for Itchy from 81 to 84.

I wasn't heavily recruited in baseball, but my dad called Itchy the summer of 1981, and he said.

And he asked Itch if I could walk on.

Keep in mind that this is World Series Saluki baseball.

This was the program of Dave, Steve or Dave Stieb, Dewey Robinson, Kevin House, the fearless Billy Lyons is here.

I'm not sure that Itch was really interested in the little kid from Chester, but he honored his friendship with my dad and he allowed me to walk on.

He never promised me anything more than a spot on the team more than to put a jersey on.

But he treated me fairly and he treated me just like the stars that he had recruited.

That speaks to the integrity of Itch.

And I'll never forget that your word is your bond.

And you say something when you say something, your actions back that up.

That was totally Itchy.

But, you know, Itches.

Passing brings a reality to us all.

You see, we're all going to pass from this earth.

The Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes, as a man is born, so will he die.

In essence, the Bible frames our lives as a sacred opportunity to walk with God.

Life on earth and our death is a doorway to something larger.

Jesus then declared in John 10:10, I've come that they may have life and have it to the full.

Itchys life was evidence of a full or an abundant life.

There's no doubt about it.

I would say that he got more out of life than most.

A heaven on earth, if you will.

He invested in others, most importantly, the next generation.

His impact is why we are here today.

If you think about it, he influenced us who influence our kids, who in turn influence their kids.

His impact will last for generations.

But life is not a biological existence on earth.

It's a spiritual journey.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself.

That where I am, you may be also.

That's the promise of heaven.

And that's where he's at today.

I think Itch would want us to know that.

You see the Itch that I knew was always open and honest and truthful.

He told it like it was.

You tell me if you know a different Itchy.

That's the Itchy.

I knew he was always like that from the moment I joined Saluki baseball to the moment I left.

Itch never pushed his faith on anyone, but it was hard not to recognize.

I never once uttered.

Heard him utter a cuss word.

Did you?

I feel certain that Itch is in heaven today, And I think if you could prime away from all the conversations that he's having, that he would tell you all that there's more to the story besides this earth.

I think he would also tell you that he wouldn't change where he's at today for one more trip to the College World Series.

Itch's life bore a fruit of fait As a Christian man, you tell me if this doesn't describe Itch love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

He walked the path of a man that understood.

Greatness is not measured by accolades, but by the lives you touch.

I would personally like to thank Sue, MItchael, and Susan for sharing Itch with us.

It was a tremendous sacrifice.

But look.

Look at your sacrifice, right?

It's brought us all here today.

And I want to tell you something.

And I learned this when my dad passed.

You can't lose something if you know where it's at, right?

We know where he's at.

We didn't lose him.

Okay, we're going to see him again.

I'll finish with this.

11 years ago, my dad passed away fairly quickly.

Few people knew how ill he really was.

When he died, I called.

Itch just to let him know I wasn't expecting anything from Itch.

Yet two days later, at the funeral home.

Who did I see but Itchy?

This was a bigger than life coach that came to see a little walk on from Chester and treated me just like his best friend and his kid.

I'll never forget that.

But that summed up Itch.

He was a larger life coach, a mentor, and someone that you could always count on.

Rest in peace, coach.

I'll see you soon.

[APPLAUSE] >> Steve Finley is our next speaker.

He's one of the greatest players in Saluki history.

He hit 300 or better in three of his four seasons and was a two time All-missouri Valley player.

Steve turned a 13th round selection in the 1987 MLB draft into a 19 year big league career in whItch he played in two All-Star games, won five Gold Gloves and played on the 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks team.

Inducted into the Saluki Hall of Fame in 1993, Steve is also a member of the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame.

Please welcome Steve Finley.

[APPLAUSE] >> Thank you.

Thank you very much.

And Scott, he's definitely up in heaven giving hitting lessons to anybody who wants to take it.

And he is talking and talking all the time.

Uh, it's so good to see you guys.

So many faces here that I remember from the past.

Um, honored to be here and talk about a man who meant so much to me in this university.

The program.

Good to see the family.

Sue.

Susan.

MItchael, thank you for sharing your dad for all these years of baseball.

Itchy was a baseball lifer.

He loved the game.

He loved to teach us.

Loved to tell us everything about this beautiful game right here at southern.

Um, I wrote a speech, but I think I'm just going to wing it.

Uh, he's easy to talk about.

Uh, saw Jerry green earlier here.

Uh, he and Itchy both recruited me.

I grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, just down the road.

Knew nothing about southern.

There was no way to Google things back then.

There was no internet.

Uh, and Greeny got Itchy to come down and visit me.

And I just had one one requirement.

Whenever I was where I was going to college, I wanted to play as a freshman.

Uh, and when he came there, he told me about the university, the, the success that they just had, all the players that came through.

And I was very impressed.

I said Itch, then it was Coach Jones.

I didn't know him as Itchy.

Uh, I just want to play as a freshman and he's not going to give me the.

The words to go, yes, it's your job.

That wasn't like him.

He said, it's your job to lose.

WhItch set me back a little bit and I was like, where do I sign?

I like this, and so that's how I became a Southern Illinois Saluki.

Uh, and I didn't know how that was going to impact me and change my life.

Coming here, the friends I would meet for the still best friends for 40 years later, uh, to how he changed my life on the field.

I remember like the second day that I got here in practice.

He asked me if I wanted to play pro baseball.

I said I really hadn't thought about it, but yes, I would love to.

He said, well, I'm going to give you two weeks here to practice.

Get used to the game here, and then we're going to go down to the cage and I'm going to change your swing.

I was hitting the ball great, playing great.

Two weeks were up.

I said, But I'm hitting the ball great.

He's like, no, we're going down to the cage.

and he changed my mechanics to where I needed to be to play professional baseball.

And I was still not thinking about that, but I just wanted to be a good baseball player.

And Itchy was a great teacher.

He taught all of us.

He taught us so much about how to play the game on and off the field, how to go to class, how to be a good person and be a good teammate.

I remember our base, our running, that we would do off to the side over here.

He would give us our running and then turn around and walk away.

He expected us to do it on our own.

He taught us how to be good teammates, how to hold each other accountable.

So many things, so many things that he did for us.

You know, the things I remember here about the Hill, uh, great games we played here, the Hill gang.

The trees have gotten a lot bigger now.

Uh, what he meant to this university and me in this program, uh, you can't say enough for him.

You know the few things I remember about Itchy.

You know, his voice.

I mean, it would pierce a gale force winds, a seven foot thick wall.

It didn't matter where you were on this university.

He could find you with that voice.

It was amazing.

I can't tell you how many games I was playing in the Cardinals or the Cubs, and I would be up against the cage taking batting practice, and it would just stun me for a second.

Like, what did I do wrong?

I hear the voice, and he's over in the dugout talking to the Cardinals coaches or the Cubs coaches.

And but that was Itchy.

He always wanted to learn the game and make himself better.

And he was over there getting information.

And then he would take and turn and deliver it to us back at the university.

Such a good man, you know, and for all of us, you know, Itchy, when you look back and see what made you who you are.

And I guarantee you, a lot of us can point back to times here playing for Itchy, that he helped make us the human beings we are today.

For me, the baseball player I was in my career And you know, his voice.

His voice still lives on to this day.

And me.

I mean, I think about him all the time, and I'm sure a lot of you do the same.

His impact goes beyond just the baseball field.

You know, it's an honor to be able to talk to him, talk about this today.

And I hope so many of you share stories back here that I'm sure you each have your individual story about how it impacted you.

And I look forward to hearing that.

Um, you know, we miss him.

We'll always miss him.

Uh, but the way we keep him alive is by telling these stories now and talk about him.

Talking about him.

So thank you for letting me be here and enjoy the day.

[APPLAUSE] >> University of Illinois baseball coach Dan Hartleb has the distinction of having played for Itchy, coached for Itchy, and then succeeded Itchy.

Dan was a Saluki catcher in 1987 and 1988, coming here from John A. Logan was a Saluki assistant coach in 1989, and in the 1990 NCAA tournament season was an assistant to Itch at Illinois from 1990 through 2005, and then succeeded Itch at as Illinois's head coach in 2006.

He is Illinois's all time winningest baseball coach, Dan Hartleb.

[APPLAUSE] Okay.

Mike, first of all, I want to appreciate or let you know I appreciate you not talking about my stats that that was absolutely perfect.

I woke up this morning and and, you know, we've been watching the weather forever and it looked like the weather was going to be good.

And then I look outside, there's raindrops and I thought Itch may get rained out one more time, but it.

Abe Martin Field.

Um, first of all, thank you everyone for being here today.

Um.

Very heartwarming.

39 years ago.

I had the honor and privilege to step on this field as a player.

Little did I know that that day forward, my life had changed dramatically.

I was suddenly paired with one of the greatest coaches in college baseball history in a program that Itch had led to great heights.

Today, I stand here and have the distinct honor of speaking about the best human being.

That I ever met.

Many new Itch Jones legendary baseball coach.

He's known for his great winning success on the baseball field and basketball court.

His winning success leading him to nine Hall of Fames.

His charismatic style of teaching and passion for the game led him to be one of the most sought after speaking clinicians of his time, touching thousands of coaches with his knowledge as he spoke numerous at numerous clinics across the country.

His fundamental teaching has impacted the game of baseball at all levels for many years.

However, his legacy is a great teacher of the game of baseball came in a distant second to his legacy as one of the greatest hitters to ever live.

Story after story about that, Itch was one of the most decorated coaches in NCAA history with over 100 wins.

His many individual awards are numerous.

They include conference championships, college World Series appearances, National coach of the year, honors, USA baseball coaching stints, and help guided 22 former players that played in the major leagues.

However, Itchs greatest passion was one that many did not have the opportunity to see.

His greatest passion was for God and his family.

His wife, Sue of 64 years, his daughter Susan.

Son MItchael.

Daughter in law Carol.

Grandsons Caleb and Micah, brother Bobby, Cowboy Jones, as well as many of his brothers and sister in.

Laws were topics of conversation as we spent time together.

Itchs big as life.

Battle was his fight against a debilitating Cruz Feldt Jakob disease.

This disease took from him many of the most precious aspects of his inner life.

His ability to speak, tell stories, bring people together with his laughter and his daily workout activities.

In March of 2023, his prognosis from doctors was to live for seven montItchs.

And to no surprise, Itch fought for almost two years to stay with the Sue.

Itch leaves behind a foundation of excellence at both SIU and the University of Illinois.

His impact on the communities of Herrin, Carbondale and Champaign are vast.

Itch and Sues Financial contrib to the church, the numerous carpentry projects to help the church, family, friends and those in need were constant throughout his coaching days and multiplied during his retirement years.

His impact on humanity, by the way he lived his life and his everyday teachings are profound.

My family, Gina, Zach, Hayley and I. Had the great fortune to be mentored and touched by Itch and Sue for 38 years.

We are truly better human beings.

Because of their love and examples to us.

Itch leaves an unfillable void in our world, in the baseball community.

He was ahead of his time with his baseball teachings and innovative drills.

He was blessed with one of the best minds in the game of baseball.

A teacher, clinician, entertainer and champion.

He was an outstanding father, husband, brother and coach.

Itch was a second father to me.

A lifelong.

Baseball and life mentor.

May the things we do today in our program at the University of Illinois, on and off the field are based on the fundamentals and the values Itch taught and instilled in me.

Itch was the best human being I' ever been around in my life.

I will miss him dearly.

He will be missed by all that he touched during his lifetime.

Without Itch, my life would be different.

I don't know what that means or what it would look like.

But I know it would not be better.

From your family and your family.

We love and miss you.

[APPLAUSE] >> And he would be very proud not only of your presentation, but of you as a person too, as well as a coach.

Bob Hardcastle was a Saluki infielder from 1959 through 1962.

He and Itchy were teammates in 1959 and 1960, so they were teammates on the 1959 and 1960 Saluki teams that won conference championships each played second base on those teams, and Bob played third closest teammates, closest friends, including their families.

Please welcome Bob Hardcastle.

[APPLAUSE] >> Thank you.

It's an honor and a pleasure for me to be here today.

And I want to first thank the Jones family for allowing me to share some words about Itch.

Um, everybody who's spoken so far has talked about the man, the coach.

Uh, you can't say enough about his greatness.

Uh, I want to I want to take you back to February of 1959, when most of you, especially that group over there, weren't even thought of.

So it was the first day I was on the field.

And even though the coach Martin had introduced this new guy, uh, Bob Hardcastle.

He goes by the name of Hardy.

I hadn't met anybody, but we were taking infield practice, and I was shortstop, and, uh, coach hit a ball pretty close to second baseman, and I went over, fielded it.

And instead of flipping it underhanded, I don't know, I guess I was nervous.

I reared back and I just threw it as hard as I could to the second baseman.

It was about ten feet from me, and thank God I hit him in the glove.

Uh.

And all of a sudden he stopped practicing and said, wait a minute, wait a minute.

What are you trying to do?

Are you trying to kill me?

I'm going to get married someday.

Don't do that.

And that was my introduction to RItchard Itchy Jones.

And from then on, we were great friends.

Uh, and we had more fun playing baseball.

I mean, we had fun.

I hope you guys have a lot of fun playing baseball, because back then, Don't you think?

Guys, we had a lot of fun playing baseball.

Uh, we we, uh, even though coach was really, really strict.

Itch said, let's have our own signals.

I was a lead off.

Itch was second.

So any time Itch touched his hat, that meant Bob moved towards second base.

So when he touched his hat, I just take off.

I didn't know whether he was going to bunt or whether he was going to swing, whether he was going to let it go or whatever.

But something always happened, and I would end up either on second base or third base.

After Itchy played, he he kind of took me under his wing.

On our first road trip, we went down to the bayous down in New Orleans, and on the way we.

We had our first stop to eat.

Well, I didn't know what was going on.

So, um, we're getting halfway in the door and I said, Itch, I got to go back and get my, uh, my wallet.

And he didn't know why.

I thought.

I thought we had to pay for it.

And so I got the wallet and he said, no, no coach pays for it.

But he said, here's the deal, Hardy.

He said, you're way behind.

Coach goes first.

He eats in a second, and then he expects everybody else to leave.

So we went in.

We were last.

I got my open face roast beef sandwItch and all of a sudden I heard coach say, okay boys, let's go.

And Itch just grabbed me and sai let's get out of here.

And I stumbled out the door and that was, I never I've never had an open roast beef sandwItch again because it ended up all over the sidewalk outside as I was running outside.

Now, I know also that none of you who played for him are with him would believe this.

But during the game Itch and I would talk now.

Can you believe that?

And I would talk.

Hey, Hardy, is your girl coming in from Saint Louis this weekend?

Yeah.

What are you in Sue doing?

We're going to go to Herrin and have a good weekend.

We're going to have a good time.

Uh, what did you think about this picture?

You think he's got anything?

We just talked back and forth all all day long.

And, you know, shortstop, second baseman.

You give the signal who's going to cover by an open mouth or whatever.

And we just play games with you.

And we'd say, you got a joke?

What do you want to do?

I mean, we just had more fun than all the other kids.

And then he graduated and I had a couple more years and he he signed with the Orioles.

I had a couple years more.

Then I signed with the Orioles.

And then all of a sudden Itch calls me and he says, hey, a couple years later, I'm going to be the coach at southern.

Great, terrific.

And as the guys know and as the field and the records show.

He was a great, great coach and all of a sudden one day I get a call and it's Itch and he's real serious.

And he says, I got something to tell you, Hardy.

I said, well, okay.

He said, I'm leaving.

And I said, you're too young to retire.

He said, I'm not retiring.

I'm going to U of I. I said, what are you talking about?

Well, that was the year that the women's program first started.

And Doctor Davies, who was head of the women's program, was on Jim Hart, our athletic director, who was, if you remember, the quarterback for the Saint Louis Cardinals.

But he was our athletic director.

He.

She was on him because he couldn't get the scholarships away from the men quick enough to give to the women and the coaches.

The men coaches were mad at Hart because he was taking all their scholarships away.

And Jim told editor, she said, look, I haven't got any more money for you to recruit.

I haven't got any more money for you to fix up the stadium.

So Itch was offered a great opportunity.

He told me, he says, Bob, they're going to double my retirement if I go to U of I. So what does he do?

He goes to U of I and Dan goes with him.

And Dan has have to give be given so much credit for staying with Itch all those years here and up there just Dan is just unbelievable guy.

They go up there and make all kinds of records win go to the series and just um, just fantastic.

Then he retires and he comes up to Saint Louis.

And like the guy said, he's always in the dugout with the Cardinal coaches.

He's on the radio with Jack Buck.

Everybody in the world knows Itchy Jones and it's just great and everything's going terrific.

And all of a sudden I get a call that he's sick and, um, a couple of us guys would go and visit and we'd all end up crying before we left.

I mean, we loved Itchy Jones.

And one thing about Itch, if you knew Itch was in town, if you knew Itch was in the stadium, if you knew Itch was anywhere close, you wanted to be around Itch, you didn't have to say anything.

You didn't have to do anything.

You just wanted to be around him.

He was that charisma.

He.

He was just.

Whether it was his voice.

Whether it was his actions you just wanted to be around.

Itch because you knew you were around something really great.

And as was mentioned before, I know he's not here, but he will always be with us.

His stories, his voice, his actions, his ability to be so close to God.

And I cry a lot as I did every time I left him when he was sick.

But it's because of the love that so many people have for Itch.

And thank you all for coming today.

And thank you, Jones family, for allowing me to say a few words.

Thank you very much.

>> Thank you Bob.

Well done.

Dewey Robinson is a Saluki Hall of Fame pItcher.

He both started and relieved in his three year Saluki career under Itch 1975 to 1977.

PItched in 51 games, had 23 wins.

The 23rd win came in a 1977 College World Series game.

He was nine and 0 in 1976.

He pItched three years for the Chicago White Sox before going into professional coaching, including the White Sox, Astros, rays and now the Pirates.

Please welcome Dewey Robinson.

>> I'd like to start off by offering my condolences to the Jones family.

Its lovely, lovely wife Sue, Susan, MItchael and the extended family.

I've said this many times Itch was like a second father to me.

I loved him.

Looking back at my time at Southern, Itch was building a powerhouse baseball program at SIU.

And then years later, he turned Illinois into one of the top teams in the Big Ten.

Itch was and is one of the most respected coaches in all of college baseball.

But more importantly, he was a loving husband and father, an extraordinary friend, and a mentor to so many of us here.

Itch wanted the best for his loved ones, his friends and players.

He was always looking to help people in any way he could.

I believe the way he treated people is a God thing.

Personally, my my relationship with Itch got stronger after my playing days here at southern.

I've been blessed to be in coaching my whole Entire adult life.

And to this day, I'm still in uniform every spring training.

I've Itched to thank for that.

He took the time to take my calls, give advice, and always asked about my family.

He was great at remembering names and faces.

We could be anywhere in the country, at clinics or conferences and run into coaches.

Itch would always know who they were and their family members.

He had time for.

Everybody ran into and treated them with the utmost respect.

I do have a couple stories I'd like to share today of my playing days here at southern and what effect Itch had on me.

Jim Reeves and I were the only two freshmen to make the varsity squad in 1974.

I wound up bouncing between varsity and JV just to get some innings.

And by the way, we were good.

We wound up with 50 wins.

So we get a bid to go to the regionals up in Minnesota, Itch tells me I'm making the trip just to throw batting practice the first day.

I do just that and sit in the dugout and cheer our team on.

We lose to Minnesota the second game of the regionals, and then climb back through the loser's bracket.

We'll be playing Minnesota the next day and have have to beat them twice to advance to the College World Series.

That night on the elevator up to our rooms at the team hotel, Itch says to me, if we wi the first game, you're starting the second game for Itch.

To have the confidence in me to start the biggest game of the year was pretty special.

Well, long story short, I got us into the seventh inning.

We won 4 to 3 to advance to the College World Series.

that confidence and trust.

Never wavered throughout my four years here.

Even when I struggled, he still made sure I was pItching in a role that I would thrive in.

Excuse me.

And help the Salukis get back to the Omaha in 77.

One day at practice, Itch tells me he and I are going to run a clinic for kids down in Kentucky, he said.

He said to me, he said to me, meet me in the morning in my office and come in uniform.

The one thing he didn't tell me that he we were going to be flying, and he was going to be flying the plane.

For some of you that didn't know, Itch got his pilot's license right about the time I was in school.

The story gets better.

So we go to the airport and walk out on the tarmac to one of these small prop planes with two seats.

Now I'm about to get sick because I get serious motion sickness.

I'm thinking I can't back out now he's counting on me.

So we get in and Itch pulls out a piece of paper and starts going through the checklist and making sure all the dials are set right before he turns on the engine.

At this point, I thought he was going to tell me to get out and go spin the propeller so we can get started.

Seriously, I felt like we were in a Volkswagen with wings.

Well, to make another long story short, we finally get up in the air and he says to me, look down at the ground and see if you can find highway 57.

[LAUGHTER] I'm thinking, oh my God, we're in trouble.

He's going to land on a highway.

[LAUGHTER] He thinks we're in a Volkswagen, too.

[LAUGHTER] But before I start to hyperventilate, He says, oh, by the way, you're the navigator and we're going to follow the highway all the way down and back.

I almost said to me, I said to him, why aren't we in the car?

Then again, I never had to worry because I trusted Itch like a father.

I saw him firsthand how much he loved his family, friends and players.

Itch was a great coach, but a better Christian man.

He will always have a lasting impression on me.

I'm very proud to have played for Itch and grateful for all the time I spent with him.

I miss him.

Thank you Sue, Susan and MItchael and his family for sharing him with us.

Thank you for coming.

[APPLAUSE] >> Well done.

Dewey.

Thank you.

When you tell Itchy Jones stories.

Most times, they're stories unique to Itch.

Only Itch could do that.

Only Itch would do this.

Only Itch would say this.

And many are funny.

He was just 31 years old when he became SIU's head coach.

Before his first game, an umpire walked to the dugout carrying the old school chest protector, and he asked Itch if he was the coach.

And Itch, of course, said only Itch would say yes.

Are you the umpire?

After Itch won his 300th game, somebody asked him, coach, when you go home, pop open a beer, put your feet up and reflect on your career.

What will you think about.

Only Itch would answer.

Well, first of all, I don't drink.

And when I get home, I'm going to mow the lawn.

Itchs wife.

Sue was a grade school teacher.

After a game, Itch was asked if his wife came to the games, only Itch would say no.

Why should she?

I don't go watch her teach.

He asked me one time what I thought of him as an interview.

I said, well, a lot of times you talk too long.

Okay, the next interview.

First answer.

Yes.

Next answer.

No.

I get it.

Many times the things that only Itch would do or say with things that spoke of his character.

However, as many of these guys talked about what kind of man he was, and these were often serious.

For example, when fundraising for this stadium began, everybody knew before it was officially decided that it would be named Itchy Jones Stadium, no matter if he contributed anything at all to the project.

Only Itchy Jones and his wife, though, would then make the largest gift of anybody to the project $50,000.

Only Itchy Jones would then tell the SIUE athletic director at the time that if he could sell the naming rights to the stadium to a business, that he should take Itch's name off of the stadium and take the money.

Of course, as long as the money went to Saluki baseball, only Itchy Jones, who would tell the players to always pay back their scholarships, eventually would make at least four other $25,000 contributions himself to Saluki baseball that I know of, probably many more, and would make at least one such contribution to Saluki softball.

Only Itchy Jones would look at that entrance sign and say Itchy Jones Stadium and say that the letters and his name were too big.

Only Itchy Jones would look at the my name on the front of that press box and then ask me if he could get his money back.

Itch love the annual alumni reunion here.

The last one he attended was in May 2023.

On Friday morning of that weekend in Saint Louis, Itch got the confirmation of the diagnosis of the disease that would eventually take his life and was supposed to take his life.

As Dan mentioned, in seven months, only Itchy Jones would still come to Carbondale that day.

Be there for the game that night, be there the next day for the reunion, and be there when Dan Callahan's uniform was retired in the 1980s.

Only Itchy Jones would rally the labor unions on the SIU campus to donate all the labor and get much of the materials donated on the construction of that clubhouse.

That clubhouse might have cost southern 20 grand.

Southern got to host the 1986 Missouri Valley Conference tournament because it won the league.

The old ballpark didn't have a press box.

Only Itchy Jones would rally all of his hair and friends to build a press box in Heron, drive it to Carbondale and walk it up the bleachers where they nailed it to the platform.

When SIU cut the baseball team scholarships from 14 to 7 in the mid 80s, the athletic director said, we'll still be will still be good in baseball because we still have you as the coach.

Itch.

Only Itchy Jones would say no.

We'll be half as good.

Itches team was in a tight game in the early 80s right here.

I think the opponent was Illinois.

They hit a home run up the left field line.

That was clearly fair.

But the umpire blew it.

The home plate umpire blew it and he called it foul.

Would have tied the game.

The other team came out on the field complaining.

They just went nuts.

Only Itchy Jones would tell the umpires the ball was fair and to allow the home run.

The umpires huddled and then they called it fair.

Itchy.

Jones was hired as SIUs baseball coach in 1970.

The first time he was ejected from a game came 17 years later.

17, 1987.

Shelton, I think you got thrown out 17 minutes into your first game.

I discovered this not long before he died, and I asked him if it was true.

17 years, he said probably.

I said, wow, I didn't know that.

And I saw you got ejected.

So are you get ejected.

And so I guess that was after 87.

Then he started tearing up.

This wasn't long before he died.

And I thought, oh, what have I done?

He said he never forgot an incident when he was about ten years old in that incident influenced how he treated people and especially umpires.

He was playing on a softball team that his father coached about ten years old at the time.

The teammate made a bad play, cost him runs and would eventually cost him the game.

And his father, the coach, went off on the kid on the bench after the inning, just verbally berating him.

Itch took up for his teammate, came into the middle of it, yelled at his dad for berating the other kid.

His dad then yelled at Itch, told him to get out of here.

Go home.

Thrown out of the game by his own coach and his own father.

Itch said he always felt guilty.

Itch felt like he was the problem in that conflict.

Only Itchy Jones would say, if I could make my father so mad that he would send me home.

What could I be capable of saying to an umpire who I didn't even know?

Only Itchy Jones would.

Only Itchy Jones did.

There was no one like him, and I miss him terribly.

Itchy and his family want this stadium to be his final resting place.

Sue's two.

With that in mind, we're happy to tell you that in due time, there will be an Itchy Jones statue here at Itchy Jones Stadium.

[APPLAUSE] It will be life size of Itch.

It will be up in the corner as you come up the ramp to the right of the concession stand.

One of the many reasons that I wish he was still around is I'd like to hear his reaction to the fact that it'll also be to the right of the men's room.

He was the best fungo hitter that many of us have ever seen, and those in professional baseball say the same thing.

And so appropriately, that will be his pose in the statue, too.

It will commemorate Itch.

Of course.

His wife Sue, however, will also be commemorated on the statue's base.

Dan Hartleb is leading this project.

Please see either one of us, he or I. To learn more about it, Dan's arranged with the same for the same artist who sculpted the Red Grange, Dick Butkus, Jim Thorpe statues at Illinois.

So this is going to be a first class commemoration of Itch and a proud addition to SIU, as well as Itchy Jones Stadium.

The artist will also construct a bust for placement at Illinois Field in Champaign, as well as busts for the family.

It's just going to be tremendous.

It's going to be first class as he deserves.

Please keep your eyes and ears open down the road.

This is a fundraising project, so that's my way of phrasing that.

Keep your eyes and ears open down the road for ways that you can help with that project.

It will be sincerely appreciated.

In closing.

That's the Itchy Jones I know.

That's the Itchy Jones that the six of us know.

Thanks to all of you to come for coming.

Special thanks to coach Lance Rhodes, his assistants, all of you guys, the players for being here and for helping.

Thank you to Saluki Athletics for hosting as well.

Thanks to WSIU television and to SIU Media Services for providing video coverage and other coverage of today's program.

Thank you, Susan Sue MItchael, for having this celebration of life and for letting the six of us speak.

It is so special.

On behalf of the Jones family, thank you for coming.

Long live Itchy Jones.

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