Franklin Ed Jones arrived in Bloomsburg in 1946 on an athletics scholarship in football and basketball. For the Huskies, he played offensive and defensive line, and in basketball, he was the big man down low, playing center.
Before Bloomsburg
The youngest of nine kids, he grew up in a small town in Central Pennsylvania called Milton. Jones attended Milton High School where he excelled in basketball, football, and baseball. Jones led Milton’s football team to a 9-0 record in 1949. Jones’ success at Milton would go on to earn him a scholarship at Bloomsburg.
Accomplishments
Jones was the first black athlete to graduate from Bloomsburg in 1954 with a degree in Accounting. He later was an honorary captain for the men’s basketball team. Jones was a four year letterman for the Huskies. In 1989, Jones was inducted into the Bloomsburg University Athletic Hall Of Fame for football and basketball. For the basketball team he was a four-year starter and earned All- Pennsylvania State Teachers College recognition three times. As a member of the football team, Jones helped the Huskies to a record of 27-6-1 – including a 9-0 record in 1948 – in his four years. Jones also served as the school’s junior varsity basketball coach after returning to school following a military stint.
Closing Out
Jones will be in the history books forever at Bloomsburg. He paved the way for Black athletes here at the University. Jones was laid to rest in April of 2020.
