Two months after his death, John Challis' presence was on the field during the World Series.
Challis, an 18-year-old from Freedom, spread a message of hope and courage before succumbing Aug. 19 after a two-year struggle with cancer. In the final four months of his life, Challis' inspirational story was picked up by national magazines and radio shows.
Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon was among the well-wishers who met with Challis. As a keepsake, Maddon received a red, rubber wristband inscribed with Challis' motto: "Courage + Believe • Life."
Two weeks ago, as the Rays battled the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, a television camera zoomed in on Maddon during a pitching change. Challis' parents, watching the game in Beaver County, were touched to see the familiar wristband.
"That red band kept John alive in my eyes," Challis' father, Scott, said. "It meant a lot to us. It means John was a little part of the Tampa Bay Rays."
Although the Rays lost the Series, that didn't diminish Maddon's success transforming a one-time laughingstock into a pennant-winning team. Maddon was selected as the Chuck Tanner Major League Manager of the Year.
Maddon, who this week is honeymooning in Europe, is unable to attend the Tanner Award banquet Saturday at The Rivers Club, Downtown. When he realized the schedule conflict, Maddon immediately contacted the Challis family, who will accept the award for him.
"It's a great honor to accept that award for a great man," Scott Challis said.
With a laugh, Scott Challis admitted he is "a little nervous" about giving the acceptance speech. But then, he recalled watching his son, who always was calm, witty and reflective when speaking with anyone, whether it was a stranger or a well-known athlete.
"I learned a lot from my son," Scott Challis said. "My son did a lot of speeches and press conferences, and he never wrote anything down. It's just such a great honor that Mr. Maddon thought of us and thought of our son."
John Challis met Maddon in June, when the Rays played an interleague series against the Pirates at PNC Park. The team gave Challis a personalized jersey after he visited the players in the clubhouse.
Tampa Bay changed its moniker last year, dropping "Devil" and becoming just the Rays. Maddon instituted a clubhouse rule that anyone who said "Devil Rays" would be fined $1.
Sitting in the dugout with Maddon, Challis said he was struck by the friendliness of all the players he had met from "the Pirates, the (New York) Yankees and now the Devil Rays."
Maddon, feigning shock, good-naturedly told Challis to pay up. Challis signed a dollar bill and gave it to Maddon.
The dollar, along with one of Challis' T-shirts and a baseball autographed by Challis, hangs in a framed display in Maddon's office at Tropicana Field.
"I don't keep a lot of things," Maddon told ESPN. "But that will never get lost."
Source: pittsburghlive.com
Challis, an 18-year-old from Freedom, spread a message of hope and courage before succumbing Aug. 19 after a two-year struggle with cancer. In the final four months of his life, Challis' inspirational story was picked up by national magazines and radio shows.
Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon was among the well-wishers who met with Challis. As a keepsake, Maddon received a red, rubber wristband inscribed with Challis' motto: "Courage + Believe • Life."
Two weeks ago, as the Rays battled the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, a television camera zoomed in on Maddon during a pitching change. Challis' parents, watching the game in Beaver County, were touched to see the familiar wristband.
"That red band kept John alive in my eyes," Challis' father, Scott, said. "It meant a lot to us. It means John was a little part of the Tampa Bay Rays."
Although the Rays lost the Series, that didn't diminish Maddon's success transforming a one-time laughingstock into a pennant-winning team. Maddon was selected as the Chuck Tanner Major League Manager of the Year.
Maddon, who this week is honeymooning in Europe, is unable to attend the Tanner Award banquet Saturday at The Rivers Club, Downtown. When he realized the schedule conflict, Maddon immediately contacted the Challis family, who will accept the award for him.
"It's a great honor to accept that award for a great man," Scott Challis said.
With a laugh, Scott Challis admitted he is "a little nervous" about giving the acceptance speech. But then, he recalled watching his son, who always was calm, witty and reflective when speaking with anyone, whether it was a stranger or a well-known athlete.
"I learned a lot from my son," Scott Challis said. "My son did a lot of speeches and press conferences, and he never wrote anything down. It's just such a great honor that Mr. Maddon thought of us and thought of our son."
John Challis met Maddon in June, when the Rays played an interleague series against the Pirates at PNC Park. The team gave Challis a personalized jersey after he visited the players in the clubhouse.
Tampa Bay changed its moniker last year, dropping "Devil" and becoming just the Rays. Maddon instituted a clubhouse rule that anyone who said "Devil Rays" would be fined $1.
Sitting in the dugout with Maddon, Challis said he was struck by the friendliness of all the players he had met from "the Pirates, the (New York) Yankees and now the Devil Rays."
Maddon, feigning shock, good-naturedly told Challis to pay up. Challis signed a dollar bill and gave it to Maddon.
The dollar, along with one of Challis' T-shirts and a baseball autographed by Challis, hangs in a framed display in Maddon's office at Tropicana Field.
"I don't keep a lot of things," Maddon told ESPN. "But that will never get lost."
Source: pittsburghlive.com
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