Thomas B. Jones

(1935 – )

Tom Jones was a pivotal and ebullient leader who revolutionized squash in America in the last quarter of the twentieth century. A Rochester native, Jones won the 1977 U.S. and the Canadian national veterans (40+) doubles titles with John Swann and was an active A singles player. From 1978 to 1999 he and his wife Hazel White Jones issued Squash News, the first national squash magazine, with Tom as acting publisher, advertising executive and chief front-man. They became major tournament promoters, directing three North American Opens and after presciently switching it from hardball to softball, fourteen U.S. Opens. They hosted eight portable court events in total and collated smaller softball tournaments into their Grand Prix Circuit, as well as ran a Davis Cup-style tournament, the Loews Cup. Jones managed the U.S. Team at the 1991 World Team Championships and played a role in getting squash into the Pan American Games. One of the most laurelled men in squash, Jones has received US Squash’s President’s Cup, NY Squash’s Eddie Standing Trophy and Board of Governor’s Award, the WPSA’s Man of the Year Award and the College Squash Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.