Paul Jones

Paul Jones, better known as PJ, was an outstanding athlete in football and baseball at Beaver Area HS, after which he attended Franklin and Marshall.  He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but a line drive by Pie Traynor to the head caused his sight to be impaired and he had to give up playing.

He was best known in Beaver County as a community recreation director for both youth and adult activities.  His PJ’s Boys Baseball Team was well-known in the 1920s before Little League Baseball developed.  He also managed American Legion baseball, midget football and basketball, boys’ basketball for all ages, intramural basketball and the Beaver Out of School Youth (OSY) Basketball League.  Paul served as a referee for HS and College football games.

He coached tennis for many years and his tennis programs helped to develop many outstanding players who later formed the nucleus for the Beaver Area HS tennis teams after the sport was started at the HS in the 1950s.  The HS tennis courts now bear his name, as does the Beaver Basketeers annual Paul Jones Basketball Scholarship.

Paul was a mentor to many youth athletes in Beaver throughout the years.  After retirement, he moved to Florida to be with his family and where he was a tennis instructor in St. Petersburg. 

He was inducted into the Beaver Co. Sports Hall of Fame in 1976.

Paul’s family is sorry they could not be here to partake in this ceremony, but is definitely here in spirit.  Thank you, to the committee, for remembering Paul and keeping his love of sports and community alive.