The name had already been picked in advance by his parents when the baby was born February 2, 1933. The name was Bonnie, but the baby turned out to be a boy. The name wasn’t changed, however, and Bonnie Jones went on to become a star pitcher in fast pitch softball. How Jones became a pitcher is interesting. At 11, he missed the last six weeks of school recovering from an appendicitis. Joe Wierbicki, a neighbor, heard Jones had a live arm and taught him how to pitch. It wasn’t until he was 16, however, that Jones gave up his duties as bat boy for Hazel Park Jewelry to pitch in the league. “I lost my first game, then I had a no-hitter and finally ended with nine straight wins,” said Jones, who was declared ineligible for the league and was forced to play up. By 1956, Jones played in his first of 12 ASA national championships, compiling a 33-17 record (.660 winning percentage) and winning the MVP award in 1961 and 1964 and the outstanding pitcher award in the 1970 ASA national championship. Despite Jones’ awesome performance in the 1961 national, winning eight games and hurling 77 2/3 innings, the Burch Grinders finished runner-up. Jones was a five-time ASA All-American and shares the record for most wins in a national tourney (eight) and is second for most innings pitched. On July 14, 1978, Jones died from injuries suffered in a car accident.
