Jones Luther Tubb - 2000

Jones Luther Tubb was born on June 11, and graduated from Tuscaloosa High School in 1936.  He then studied in the Business School at the University of Alabama; he also matriculated at the University of Alabama; he also matriculated at the University of Georgia and Kent State. He continued his education again at the age of 62 while serving as an assistant baseball coach at UA, earning 33 semester hours in such challenging courses as finance and drug counseling. 

Coach Tubb earned an earned education in the most instructive and challenging of areas; the battlefields of WWII. Serving as a sergeant in the Army Air Corps, Tubb supplied such efforts as the tank attacks of General Patton and flew wounded back to England.  He earned four combat citations during his service years from 1942-46. 

Before shipping home, Tubb was selected to play first base in the European Theater Army Air Force Tournament.  He was named to the All-Star, All-European team. 

After the War, Tubb went back into the insurance business and helped to build up Trinity Methodist Church, for which he has served on the administrative board for 50 years. 

It was in such church and community projects as helping form the Tuscaloosa Little League that Tubb made his quiet but lasting mark, involving himself where he saw a need ? and not where he would get the most glory. 

He went into the furniture business for 10 years in 1952, but then went with his heart and took a position with the YMCA as physical director and Director of Baseball for Tuscaloosa and Northport. 

Tubb operated the Athletic house Sporting Goods store from 1969-80, selling when he was required to undergo successful neurosurgery.  His new lease on life took him back to UA where he served as the graduate assistant coach from 1981-85, including the?83 year when the team first went to the College World Series, coming in second. 

In the meantime, Coach Tubb volunteered his time with the Tuscaloosa Little League and pony League.  Then he served as the director for 15 years.  He also served as an assistant coach for Tuscaloosa?s famous American Legion post-34 baseball team for four years, helping lead the squad to a runner-up slot in ?66 and to the World Series championship in ?67.  As head coach from 1969-82 his team won six state championships. 

Working as effectively behind the scenes as well as in the four lights, Coach Tubb has been on the Alabama State Baseball Committee of the American Legion for more than 53 years.  And he has taught thousands of youngsters at UA and other baseball camps throughout the state. 

His contributions to Alabama junior college athletics came at the grassroots level: in helping establish the sports program at Shelton State in Tuscaloosa.  He served as assistant baseball coach from 1985-89 and stepped into the breach as head man from 1989-94.  

A brief retirement was interrupted by his desire to help Tuscaloosa Academy get its baseball program going.  The ?little      ?translated into 1996 coach of the year honors and a berth in the state playoffs. 

A heart attack induced Coach Tubb to retire for good soon after, but the current American Legion vice-chairman keeps active supporting the sport and the institutions he loves.  He also enjoys sharing honorable and sweet memories with his wife of 60 years, the former Geraldine Hewlett, and with his children Glynn Tubb, a lawyer in Decatur, and Marilyn Tubb Myrick, a school principal in Jacksonville, Florida.