ABILENE – John T.L. Jones Jr., a two-year Abilene Christian golf letter winner in the 1950's and father of head men's tennis coach
Hutton Jones, died Friday at his home in Quanah, Texas at the age of 84.
His passing not only impacted his hometown of 2,500, and those who know his family around West Texas, but his death also is being mourned by the
Thoroughbred and
horse-racing communities.
ACUSports.com spoke to Jones Jr. for two hours by telephone in December of 2017 right as construction was starting on the Jones Tennis Building. Throughout this conversation we were entertained and inspired as he detailed his journey from Quanah to Walmac Farms (Ky.) in becoming one of the most respected and influential horsemen in the world. We also talked about faith, being a Christian, and the unmatched love he and his son, Hutton, have for ACU.
We also talked to his cousin Steven while piecing together this tribute, plus former ACU tennis coach and Athletics Director Cecil Eager, and recent Wildcat graduates
Paul Michael Domanski and
Whitney Williams.
"I appreciated his loyalty to ACU," said Eager of Jones Jr., when interviewed by phone last autumn. "He also was a visionary who kept a common-sense approach even when running in elite circles of people. He was donating to the (tennis) program before anyone from the school was promoting that thought. He provided the impetus for all what ACU Tennis has today."
Click the picture below to read more, and to see additional photos from the Jones family archives.
