Deacon Jones

Charles Nicholas "Deacon" Jones (August 31, 1934 – September 7, 2007) was an American steeplechase runner. He competed at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics and finished in ninth and seventh place, respectively. He was a three-time AAU champion (1957–58 and 1961) and won a silver medal at the 1959 Pan American Games.

Running career Youth

At the age of 13, Jones won a mile race at an intramural track meet in Boys Town, Nebraska, in a time of 4:35. He ran the race in street shoes, and was especially motivated by ice cream as a reward for the top race finishers. In addition to track, he played as a halfback for the Boys Town High School football team, as a guard on their basketball team, and played right field on the baseball team. It was the first time a sophomore ever won the championship. By the time he graduated from Iowa, he set the school record in the 3000 meter steeplechase at 8:47.4.

Post-collegiate Jones was the only American to qualify for the final heat in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He finished in ninth overall.

He was the men's runner-up in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the 1959 Pan American Games. It was during this competition where Jones met Cassius Clay before he changed his name to Muhammad Ali. Having been a barber in his childhood, Jones gave many people haircuts. Clay walked into his dorm and asked for a haircut. After Jones cut his hair, Clay wasn't satisfied and talked trash. And so Jones replied to him, "If you want a better haircut, you have to come in here with better hair."