Cairo Georgia native, Jackie Robinson, broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947.  As monumental as that achievment was, Robinson himself might have never thought he'd see the day when the Class D minor leagues in his native southern Georgia would be integrated. Just seven years after Robinson first took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, a young man named Lew Jones became the first African American minor leaguer in Georgia-Florida League history. Lew's achievement wasn't as well known as Robinson's or Larry Doby's, but Jones brave effort was  every bit as challenging, especially since it occured in a league where mandated segregation existed in every league town, and unwelcomed black baseball fans only choice of ballpark seating was in remote outfield bleachers.  In the same year that the "Brown vs. the Board of Education" decision shook the foundations of the Jim Crow south, and a year before Rosa Parks became nationally known, Lew Jones stepped out onto the field in Waycross, Georgia, and made history.

Lew Jones achieved what most might have thought impossible just years before, when he became the first African-American baseball player in Georgia-Florida League History. Lew suited up for the GFL's Waycross Bears during the summer of 1954, and although he stayed at Waycross for only a few games, he braved a torrent of unbelievable pressure both on and off the field, and made baseball history. . Jones was a 6'3" and 220 pound power hitter from Sanford, Florida. He drew notice from scouts when he batted .419 at Florida A&M. Hall Of Fame great, Paul Waner, working for the Milwaukee organization, liked the potential he saw in Jones, and he recommended Lew to the Braves front office.  The Braves approached Jones about playing professionally, inquiring whether Jones was willing to drop out of college to play baseball, but Lew's mother insisted that he complete his education.

Jones earned a degree in education, then to Milwaukee's dismay, he joined the Air Force to complete a military obligation. When Jones became available, he was already 25 years old. Milwaukee was still interested in him and they signed him to a surprisingly high $7500 bonus. He was sent to Eau Claire were he started off strong, batting close to .300.  Despite the hot start, manager Charlie Root was cold to Lew, rarely speaking to him. Then Jones hurt his back and he was quickly relegated to Class D Paris in the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League.  Once his back improved, he was on fire again, batting .476,  but despite his contribution to the team, the attitude of Jones' Paris teammates was at best aloof. The team and the town looked upon the Lew with prejudice and distain, and he found living conditions decidedly worse than those experienced by his white teammates.  He choices of living quarters were simple:  He could only board at the local YMCA, it was the only place that would have him.  His teammate, Bill Figueroa who spoke no English, found himself relegated to the Y also. Since neither could communicate with each other, their time off the field was dreary.  Jones found that the same segregation difficulties plaguing  the deep south were alive and well in Paris, and the loneliness  started to weight heavy on him.  He complained to Milwaukee management who sent him off to play for their Class D affiliate in Waycross, Georgia.

In 2006, Lew took part in the 18th Annual Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  Dr. Jones' presentation was entitled, "African-American Families Who Provided Room and Board for Black and Latin Major and Minor League Baseball Families Before Jim Crow Laws Were Lifted".  52 years had passed between Lew Jones' Waycross debut and Dr. Lew Jones' presentation at the Hall of Fame, and it must have been a glorious feeling to stand at the podium and reflect on his amazing journey. 

In August of 2005, 77-year old Lew Jones attended the Class D reunion in Moultrie.  Despite his age, Jones still looked fit and ready to play ball.  Also at the reunion was Jones' former manager, Paul Eames. The last time they had seen each other was during their clubhouse confrontation 54 years earlier. Things were different now and Eames and Jones found themselves reminiscing about their Waycross experiences. Lew had made the right decision to leave baseball, but he still values his time as a professional ballplayer.  A chance to talk about the old days and to take a few swings of the bat brought back some of the good memories of the fun of the national pastime, and Lew's friendly disposition made him a much enjoyed guest at Moultrie.    

Despite playing first base all his career, Waycross manager Paul Eames already had a top notch first baseman, so he played Jones in the outfield, a position Lew wasn't comfortable with. The uncertainty of the position and a barrage of threats to lynch Jones caused him to  doubt whether he wanted to continue with baseball at all. During his sixth game in Waycross, Jones drew the wrath of manager Eames by casually tossing a soft throw to the cutoff man.  The sloppy play allowed the opponents to score the winning run.  Back in the dugout, Eames confronted Lew about his desire to play ball.  A frustrated Jones fired back at Eames, saying Eames didn't stand up for Lew against the constant vicious verbal assaults and threats. Jones didn't know at the time that Eames was getting the very same threats of bodily harm for fielding a black player on the team.  Eames was told regularly that if he brought Jones on a road trip, they both would be "strung up". The pressure on both men eventually boiled over when an angry Eames threatening Jones with a bat.  That was enough for Lew, and he left the team, never to return. Since he had prepared for a teaching career while in college, he quickly found a better paying and more satisfying job than baseball in education. Lew worked hard, and eventually his PhD.

The 77 year old Jones takes a few swings at the Moultrie Reunion Home Run Derby in 2005.  He looked fit enough to play 9 innings.