Former SIU Baseball Hall of Fame coach Richard C. “Itchy” Jones died on Monday, Feb. 17 at age 87. 

According to a Saluki Athletics press release, Jones coached 39 years at the collegiate level, 21 of those being at his alma mater, Southern Illinois University, where he led the Salukis to five Missouri Valley Conference titles and 10 NCAA tournament appearances. He retired as one of college baseball’s top-20 all-time winningest coaches. 

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Fifteen years after his retirement, Jones ranks 27th in NCAA history with a record of 1,242-752-6. 

Jones, for whom the SIU baseball stadium is named, was an icon who immortalized the No. 1 during his decades in Carbondale. He presided over the program from 1970 to 1990 and achieved a career record of 738-345-5, which is still the program record.

Jones coached 18 Salukis to the major leagues and guided the Dawgs to five College World Series appearances. He is one of only two coaches to lead SIU to such an appearance.

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A celebration of life will be scheduled for a later date according to the press release. 

Editors Note: A previous version of this stated that Itchy Jones was the only coach to lead SIU to a College World Series appearance. It has been since changed to reflect he is one of two coaches. 

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