Former OSU Athletic Director Jim Jones dies at age 83

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — Jim Jones, the sixth director of athletics in Ohio State history and a member of the school’s athletics administration for 27 years, died from natural causes Wednesday morning in Bonita Springs, Florida. He and his wife, Linda, reside there through the winter months while also maintaining a home in Dublin. Jones was 83.

Jones joined Ohio State University’s faculty in 1965 as a physical education instructor and moved over to the athletic department staff in 1967, where he worked in academic advising for four years primarily with Woody Hayes’ football team. In 1970, he was elevated to assistant director of athletics and in 1977 he was named associate athletic director.

Jones supervised many of the day-to-day duties of the athletics department for 20 years, including the department’s eligibility, compliance, team travel and grants-in-aid programs. He also had responsibility for sports information, academic counseling and the business offices. He worked under the direction of three athletic directors: Ed Weaver, Hugh Hindman and Rick Bay.

In 1987, Jones became Ohio State’s athletic director and he held the position for seven years, until his retirement in 1994.

“Jim Jones had a significant and positive impact on my life,” Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith said. “I will miss him greatly. He had a commitment to diversity and made a tremendous contribution to the growth of Ohio State athletics.  Sheila and I share our condolences to Linda and his family.”

In 2013, Jones was honored with the James J. Corbett Memorial Award, presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The award is presented annually to a collegiate administrator who “through the years has most typified Corbett’s devotion to intercollegiate athletics and worked unceasingly for its betterment.” Corbett was NACDA’s first president in 1965. The award is the highest honor one can achieve in collegiate athletics administration.

Jones is a past president of NACDA and the Division IA Athletic Directors. He served on a plethora of prestigious national committees at the Big Ten Conference and national levels, including the NCAA’s Special Events and Post-Season Bowls committees, the Big Ten Promotions and PR committee, and the Rose Bowl Management committee.

In 2018 Ohio State’s Varsity O organization created the Jim Jones Award to pay tribute and recognition to those Ohio State male letterwinners who, through their careers, contributed to the honor and fame of Ohio State University. The initial recipients of the award were Charles Csuri and Jameson Crane.

A native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Jones received his B.S. from Kent State in 1958 and a master’s degree from Ball State in 1964.

The Jones’ tragically lost their son, Bill, to a heart-related condition in 2012. The younger Jones was an associate athletic director at Ohio State at the time and had been a member of the OSU staff for 14 years. 

In addition to his wife, Linda, Jones is survived by his daughter Lynnae MaGinn, son-in-law Mark MaGinn and two granddaughters: Courtney and Taylor.

Funeral arrangements are pending.