'Professor' Gordon Jones, handicapper, teacher, author, radio-TV commentator, dies at 95

ARCADIA, Calif. - Gordon Jones, who died on Friday at the age of 95, was many things through his involvement in academics and racing.

Jones, known as “The Professor,” was a renowned handicapper for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, but also an author of two books, a journalism professor, a seminar host and a television and radio commentator.

At a time when Southern California racetracks were packed with fans, Jones was one of the most well-known public handicappers in the region.

Jones graduated from Whittier College, where his father, William C. Jones, was a former president. Gordon Jones earned a master’s degree from the University of Oregon and later taught journalism at the University of Southern California and Arizona State.

At Arizona State, one of his students was Al Michaels, the famous sports announcer. The two sometimes attended races at Turf Paradise in Phoenix.

Through connections with students, Jones was hired to write articles and provide selections for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, which had expansive coverage of racing compared to other daily newspapers in the market.

Jones held the position from the 1960s to the mid-1980s, and also held popular handicapping seminars at locations near Southern California’s Thoroughbred tracks. He wrote about a variety of sports for the Herald-Examiner during the 1984 Summer Olympics in the Los Angeles area.

Jones authored two books on racing – “Gordon Jones to Win” and “Smart Money” – both published in the 1970s.

Earlier this century, he was a simulcast commentator during the September race meeting at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona.

Survivors include his daughter, Joanne, herself a former handicapper and television and radio commentator; a grandson, Ethan; and longtime partner Margaret Davis.

According to a statement released by the family, plans for a memorial service are underway.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.