Whitman Hall of Fame
Gary Jones, who excelled on both sides of the ball, made his most notable mark as a linebacker, arning a spot on the Associated Press Little All-American Second Team as a capstone to his senior season. At the time he became only the second three-time winner of Whitman’s Niles Trophy for inspiration and leadership, and he was also named to the NAIA District I and Little All-West Coast teams.
While Jones made his greatest contributions at linebacker, he also played center on offense. As a sophomore he earned All-Northwest Conference Honorable Mention recognition at both positions. He also received Honorable Mention laurels that season as a center on the NAIA District I Team and as a linebacker on the Little All-West Coast Team.
Following an outstanding junior season, Jones was honored as a first-team linebacker and second-team center by both the NWC and Little All-Northwest teams. The sports editor of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin praised Jones as “unquestionably the most outstanding player in the conference, and probably one of the best linebackers in the country.”
Whitman coach Roy Thompson, after watching Jones play his final game, had this to say: “I’ve never had a kid hit harder or do a better job.” A politics major and Whitman student body president as a senior, Jones later served in the Peace Corps and graduated from the University of Washington Law School in 1973.
