A baseball standout and catcher, Joe Maddon '76 played three years of baseball under Norm Gigon and helped the Leopards to a 49-28 record during that span. Initially recruited to play football, Maddon played one season as a quarterback on the freshman team. In his final game, he completed 14 of 17 passes for four touchdowns in a win over Lehigh.
Following his tenure at Lafayette, Maddon spent four seasons as a catcher in the California Angels' minor league system. After his playing career ended, he remained with the organization in several roles, including minor league manager and bench coach for the Angels, who advanced to the postseason three times and captured the 2002 World Series title.
His greatest success came as a Major League Baseball manager, first as an interim manager with the California/Anaheim Angels in 1996 and 1999. He served as the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays (2006-14), Chicago Cubs (2015-19) and Los Angeles Angels (2020-22) during his distinguished career. Maddon guided the Rays to the 2008 American League pennant, earning American League Manager of the Year honors in 2008 and 2011.
Maddon took over as the Cubs' manager in 2014, leading the organization to the 2015 N.L.C.S. while also being named the National League Manager of the Year. Two years later, the Cubs claimed their first World Series title in more than a century.
On May 12, 2009, Maddon was honored by the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. The House unanimously voted in favor of a resolution highlighting Maddon's accomplishments on the baseball diamond and his continued ties to the city of Hazleton, Pa., his hometown. In 2010, Maddon was awarded an honorary
Doctor of Letters degree from Lafayette.
Maddon, who married his wife Jaye 10 days after the Rays' 2008 World series appearance, has two children and five grandchildren.
Maddon Wikipedia Entry
