CNBNews

By CNB Sports

On Saturday, October 16, during halftime of the Temple University vs. Bowling Green Football game at Lincoln Financial Field, Gloucester City High School’s principal, Dr. Jack Don will be inducted into the Temple University Athletic Hall of Fame.

A standout on the diamond as well as in the classroom, Jack Don (1971-73) earned team MVP honors with team highs in batting average (.376) and RBI (35) as a senior in 1973. He also became the only Temple baseball player to earn First Team Academic All-America honors. Moving from third base to catcher for his final season, the Riverton, NJ native (Palmyra HS) helped the Owls to a 33-11 record and second straight Middle Atlantic Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. As a junior, Don batted .323 with 33 RBI in helping Temple to a 33-15 record and a third place national finish (the highest in TU history) at the College World Series. The two-time all-MAC first team performer compiled a .344 career batting average, which ranked second in the Temple record book at the time of his graduation.

Don played at Temple until 1974 during which time Temple traveled to Omaha, Nebraska to play in the 1972 College World Series where they finished third in the Nation. Temple was ousted in the National Semi-Finals by University of Southern California. Temple played against powerhouse teams such as Southern Cal, Arizona State, Oklahoma and Iowa with rosters of future MLB players such as Al Bannister, a former #1 pick of the Phillies and Bump Wills, son of former MLB player Maury Wills. In one series game, Don and his Temple team faced future Mets and California Angel pitcher Craig Swan who beat Temple 1 -0 in the Arizona State – Temple matchup. Swan allowed only one earned run in 18 World Series innings pitched during the 1972 College World Series a 0.50 era a record that still stands today. Swan went on to lead Major League Baseball with a 2.43 era during the 1978 season.  

Don graduated Temple with a career highlighted by his .330 batting average. Being undrafted Don used his college degree as an educator to continue his baseball career as a coach at both Temple University and Camden County College. As manager of the 1977 Camden County College team his team advanced to the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. 

Don is currently the only person to both play in the College World Series and manage a Junior College Team to the Junior College World Series.

During halftime of the Temple game Dr. Don will proudly stand on the field at Lincoln Field with memories of his college career drifting through his head while family and friends on hand acknowledge proudly that they know Jack Don the person.