Cleon Jones Still Making Miracles

Even though he is 78, don’t tell Cleon Jones he is too old to climb up a ladder. For the last two decades, Cleon and his wife Angela have been doing everything they can to help rebuild their hometown, Africatown, a suburb of Mobile, AL.

Cleon’s latest project is repairing the roofs of his neighbors homes which were decimated by two fall hurricanes.

Occasionally, Jones will climb up a ladder and help fix some roofs himself.

“I have great balance,” said Cleon with a laugh. “I don’t like to sit back and watch other people do the work. I always want to be part of the action.”

For years, Cleon and his foundation have rebuilt homes, cut lawns and taken out the garbage for residents of Africatown who needed his help.

“I owe so much to my community,” said Cleon. “Without the support I received I never would have made it to the majors. One of my neighbors gave me my first glove.”

The Jones’ main goal is to stop the out flux of people from Africatown.

“Our population has really been dwindling in recent years. We have to give people a reason to stay.”

“We have built a market and are on the verge of building a Hall of Fame right here.”

“We want to make people proud of our town again.”

Last month was a time for the Jones family. On January 22, Hank Aaron a fellow Mobile native passed away. January 22, 2001 was also the date Tommie Agee, Cleon’s’ boyhood friend and future Mets teammate died of a heart attack.

“Henry was a special person,” said Jones. “As good a player as he was, he was a hundred times better person. He was so humble in everything he did.”

“For me Henry was the best right fielder in MLB history,” Cleon went on. “If you were to pick an all time outfield, it’d be Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Henry.”

Jones vividly recalls the battle the Mets and Braves had in the 1969 playoffs. The Mets swept Atlanta in three straight to move on the World Series to face Baltimore. Aaron was at the top of his game as he hit a homer in each contests against Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and Gary Gentry.

“Everyone I looked up Henry was rounding the bases”, added Jones. “He was the best.”