ORANGE, Calif. – Chapman University Hall of Famer Randy Jones '72 has passed away at the age of 75. One of the all-time greats at Chapman, Jones won a Cy Young in 1976 and was inducted into Chapman's Hall of Fame in 1980.
Jones brought the Chapman Panthers their greatest notoriety when he went on to win the Cy Young Award in 1976 as the National League's most outstanding pitcher for the San Diego Padres.
A four-year letter winner for Chapman from 1969-72, Jones won 27 games including 11 and 12 games in 1970 and '72 respectively and was named the Panthers' most valuable pitcher in each season. He earned All-America honors as a senior when he helped Chapman to 38 wins and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Far West Regionals. Jones set school records for strikeouts in a season (155 in '72) and career (311).
Upon graduation, Jones was drafted in the fifth round of the MLB amateur draft by the San Diego Padres and reached the big leagues the very next season. He fast became a Padres legend, winning 20 games in 1975, leading the NL with a 2.24 ERA and finishing runner-up in the Cy Young voting. The following year he won the award with a record of 22-14, 2.74 ERA and led the league with 25 complete games. Over his 10-year Major League career he won 100 games and was selected to two All-Star Games.
Jones is also enshrined in the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame – inducted as part of the inaugural class in 1999.