Dec. 5, 2016
By: Mandy Housenick
GoLeopards.com Featured Columnist
Joe Maddon owns an RV and drives it himself even though he could afford to charter a plane.
He wears what many would describe as funky glasses.
He styles his hair with a little spike to it despite being 62 years old.
Maddon, manager of the World Champion Chicago Cubs, would rather gobble down Senape's Pitza from his hometown of Hazleton, Pa., than pizza from any number of popular chain restaurants.
And when in doubt, Maddon throws on a hoodie - his self-proclaimed, favorite piece of clothing - which made its debut on him during his years at Lafayette College, a place he often credits for helping make him the person he is today.
"I really grew up there. I look back and say, 'That was the best thing that ever happened to me,'" Maddon said. "If I had not gone there, I would like to believe a lot of this would have happened anyway, but I just don't know."
Maddon is never shy about expressing his appreciation and love of Lafayette. In the midst of the World Series, a time during which he could have worn a Cubs sweatshirt or jacket every time he had the chance, the former Leopard opted to toss on a Lafayette football jersey, something that spawned many photos and tons of shares on Facebook and likes on Twitter and Instagram.
He didn't do it to get attention. That's not his style. He wanted everyone to know what a huge impact the Patriot League school had on him then and still has on him now.
"College isn't only about the classroom, but the social aspect is important too," he said. "I lived with people who came from entirely different backgrounds, and they helped me interact in a manner where I was then more comfortable with almost anybody. I was a little more shy before I got there.
"To be tied to a school like that, there is an inner prestige about that. I'm proud that I attended that school. I know college is about degrees and learning, but beyond that, what is more important is how you go about it. I'm in touch with all my buddies from Lafayette, and not just after the World Series, but all season long. When I say Lafayette, I get that warm feeling. I was the person that left Hazleton High School one way and then left Lafayette entirely different."
Maddon also left Lafayette with a huge desire to return and give his support. His most recent venture into town may have just been the most notable - and fun.
Maddon, whose last semester at Lafayette was in the fall of 1975, sponsored a party at his old fraternity, Zeta PSI, which he referred to as, "the best looking building on campus." He did so on Friday night, the eve of the Lafayette-Lehigh football game. There were tents outside of the fraternity house and a performance by The B Street Band, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band which played at President Obama's inauguration in 2009 and whose keyboardist, Will Forte, is Maddon's close, childhood friend.
"We wanted to replicate the same parties we used to have back in the 70s that were the best," Maddon said. "It all happened in a way that is acceptable to both young and old and was done in a manner that wasn't offensive or detrimental. I have always wanted to make sure the word 'party' doesn't have a negative connotation."
Trevor Houck, a senior pitcher who is a captain for Joe Kinney's current baseball team at Lafayette, had the opportunity to be around Maddon several times that weekend, including at the Hall of Fame dinner Friday, a cocktail hour Friday night and a pancake flip Saturday morning.
Although Houck grew up near Baltimore and is an Orioles fan, once his team was eliminated from the postseason, he jumped on the Cubs bandwagon to cheer for Maddon. Houck loves his managerial style and everything he's heard about the way he treats and approaches his players, prompting him to make sure he asked him a few questions.
"What happened along the way?" Houck said. "What did he learn? What did he like? What didn't he like about his journey through life? What life lessons has he acquired? He learned plenty of lessons and offered a great perspective."
It was easy to hear the excitement in Maddon's voice as he talked about returning to Easton for all the festivities surrounding the Lafayette-Lehigh football game at Fisher Stadium. Although he attended the 150th meeting between the two schools at Yankee Stadium, he hasn't seen the rivals face off in Easton since 1974.
On Saturday, Maddon was introduced to the home crowd at Fisher Stadium, a field on which he has not stepped foot in more than 40 years when he last donned a Leopard uniform.
Maddon actually attended Lafayette on a football scholarship and simply walked onto the baseball team. But after his freshman year, he gave up football to focus on baseball because the crack of the bat was something he wanted to hear every day.
"I played football for more than 10 years, but retrospectively, it's like you've never done it," he said. "You have the memories, but if you were to see a video, it would be almost like watching someone else."
Maddon said he made sure to do plenty of that during the 2008 World Series run against the Phillies (his Tampa Bay Rays eventually lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games) and during this historic Cubs run. He took deep breaths, looked around at his players, listened to the almost deafening crowds and got to enjoy having his 83-year-old mom, Beanie, at a few games in Chicago.
But she almost didn't make it in time for Game 3. Her plane was supposed to leave Philadelphia at 11 a.m. and instead didn't get off the ground until 6 p.m. She landed very late in Chicago, but arrived with a police escort not only waiting for her, but they actually drove her to Wrigley Field. Although she didn't make it in time for first pitch, she at least arrived by the second inning and managed to chat with Maddon afterward.
"She had the energy to do all that," Maddon said.
Maddon, who never played beyond Single-A ball, has been hugely successful as a manager. He owns a .535 winning percentage, has been named Manager of the Year three times (2008 Rays, 2011 Rays and 2015 Cubs) by the Baseball Writers Association of America and is a manager players absolutely love to play for.
While Maddon appreciates all those accolades, what he really loves is time with his family, especially his wife, Jaye. The two recently drove from Chicago to Tampa before heading north again for the weekend's festivities. But all his success, especially what transpired in Chicago earlier this month, has made it pretty challenging for Maddon to go unrecognized. He was even spotted in a random sub shop in Indiana during their travels.
"You go to Starbucks any day in Chicago and everyone wants a photo," he said. "But fans in Chicago are really respectful most of the time. Sometimes they just want to say, 'Hi, nice going. Keep it up.' Other times, they say, "No pressure but I want a World Series victory before I die." You get used to it. It's part of the fabric. What was most impressive had to have been our parade. It was staggering. We were faced with crowds and attention that were beyond substantial at times. They said there were 5 million people, and that's as many people as I've ever seen. When I got to the stage, it was like pictures I had seen of Woodstock."
Although Maddon had a grand welcoming on College Hill, he didn't get quite that large of a crowd. He doesn't care though. That's not why he offered to do It.
"Nobody asked us to do it," he said. "Jaye and I talked about it and we talked to a frat brother and President Alison Byerly and football coach Frank Tavani before we went ahead with our plans. I thought it would be wonderful for us to give back with the game being at home. And we wanted to rekindle a little bit of the past."
If anyone could make it wonderful again, it was Joe Maddon.
