Hap Barnes, Ambidextrous Pitcher for Tulane

Hap "Happy" Barnes
Hometown: Ruston, Louisiana

College: Tulane University - Green Wave

Ambidextrous Pitcher at Tulane in 1916-17

Hap Barnes was an all-American baseball and football player at Tulane in New Orleans. His grandson, Bert Jones, is the former quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts - featured in Boy's Life, Nov. 1976. That's where I found the note about Hap Barnes ambidextrous pitching ability.

Bert Jones, Sportsman Quarterback

By Larry Fox, Boy's Life, November 1976

An ambidextrous pitcher, Grandpa Jones would hurl one game of a doubleheader lefty, the next righty and often win both. He taught Bert to throw the knuckleball that produced half a dozen Little League no-hitters.

Ruston to Tulane
By Bud Johnson, TheWaveReport.com, August 3, 2001

Every now and then a Ruston athlete winds up at Tulane.

There was Hap Barnes in 1916-17, Dub Jones in 1943-44, and Patrick Ramsey, 1998-2001.

There weren't many, you say, but you can't fault the quality of the players.

Barnes, an ambidextrous pitcher, is best known in Tulane lore for pitching and winning a double header, one left-handed, one right-handed. He was also a lineman in football. But his clan was not through with Tulane.

Not until the Navy V-12 program sent Dub Jones from LSU to Tulane in World War II, did another Ruston athlete distinguish himself for the Green Wave. Dub was an All-America back for the Wave.

Ruston's current gift to Tulane, Patrick Ramsey, insists that the Jones family was supportive but never pushy in his college recruitment.

Bert Jones, Dub's boy and Hap's grandson, stayed in the background during Ramsey's decision making process. The former LSU All-America quarterback did offer advice when asked. As a friend of the family, Bert took an interest in Patrick's future.

Jambalaya Yearbook (New Orleans, LA), Tuland University - Class of 1917

Barnes — " Happy" Hap was that other halfback. Boys, this is what the Lord loves — " the truth. " Happy is one streak when he gets started, and Cooper found that out, believe me. He made them all sit up and take notice in the Alabama and L. S. U. games when he got started, and, don ' t you forget, he got started several times. (320) ”

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Ambidextrous pitching has been around for one hundred years, but there still aren't many regular ambidextrous pitchers.

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