Remembering Ray Jones

It is during the new year when we get the chance to think about our Babe Ruth friends and the times when we truly “caught the Babe Ruth feeling”. We also get a chance to reflect on the people and times we will never experience again.

It is with great sadness that Babe Ruth League bids farewell to our dear friend and teammate, Raymond Paul Jones, of Charlotte, North Carolina (formerly of Piscataway, NJ), who passed away on January 30, 2018, at age 83.

Ray was actively involved in the Babe Ruth League program for over 25 years. He started as a local league coach and was soon elected to serve as District 9 Commissioner for the Northern New Jersey Babe Ruth Leagues, a position he held for 18 years.

During his time as a District Commissioner, Ray was an avid Babe Ruth League supporter, recruiting a record number of new leagues and teams.

In fact, because of his dedication to the program, in 1991, Ray was elected as Middle Atlantic Regional Commissioner and an automatic member of the Babe Ruth League International Board of Directors.

It was very unusual for a District Commissioner to be considered for the position of Regional Commissioner. Normally when Regional vacancies opened, the first candidates to be considered were State Commissioners.

Ray served on the Board until his retirement from Babe Ruth League at the end of the 1996 season.

A former Sergeant in the U.S. Army who served in Korea, Ray was employed by United Technology, as the Quality Control Engineer at the Ford Motor Company in Edison, New Jersey.

Ray was an amazing and caring individual, one of those volunteers who stood head and shoulders above the rest. Babe Ruth League, Inc. is deeply saddened over the loss of our dear friend and teammate. His contributions on behalf of our participants will never be forgotten and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends.

Newly elected Regional Commissioners Dennis Poarch (Pacific Southwest Region) and Ray Jones (Middle Atlantic Region) were welcomed to their first Board Meeting by BRL President Ron Tellefsen and Chairman of the Board Bill Smith. Pictured from left are the late Ron Tellefsen, Poarch, the late Ray Jones and the late Bill Smith.

1991 Middle Atlantic Region 16-18 to Syracuse, NY - Shown above signing the tournament contract are, seated (L to R): the late Ray Jones, and Herm Card, President of the Syracuse Chapter of New York State Baseball Umpires Association. Back row (L to R) Robert Faherty, BRL Vice President/Commissioner; the late Robert Curran, BRL Board Member; John King and Tom Petroff, Co-Tournament Directors and Don Livingston, then Western New York District 2 Commissioner.