Cubs go bald for pediatric cancer research
Rizzo among players to buzz heads for Maddon's annual fundraiser
MESA, Ariz. -- It was a good day to get a haircut on Saturday as Cubs manager Joe Maddon hosted his fourth annual Respect Bald fundraiser.
Players, including Anthony Rizzo and Mike Montgomery, got their heads shaved, as did Maddon, to raise more than $80,000 for pediatric cancer research.
Rizzo, Jonathan Lester, Benjamin Zobrist and Jason Heyward donated $10,000 each so Cubs coach Marty Pevey's 21-year-old son, Tucker, would get his long brown hair cut as well. The Cubs surprised Pevey by bringing his wife, son, and daughter, Ashtin, 18, to Mesa for the event.
Four children who are battling cancer were guests of the event as was Cole Eicher, 16, a brain cancer survivor from Clearwater, Fla., who was a special guest of Respect 90. Eicher was diagnosed at 12 and is now cancer free.
"It's an unsupported cause," said Eicher, who has created the Gold Together organization to help battle pediatric cancer. "There's not a lot of people who know about childhood-cancer month in general, which is September. The ribbon color is gold. That's what I'm trying to do is raise awareness, raise research."
Maddon met Eicher in early February and invited him to camp.
"Support, support, support these kids," Eicher said. "It really did something for me."
Maddon did shave his head, and he acknowledged that it will grow back silver. He started coloring his hair last year and says his wife, Jaye, eventually said she liked it darker. Once he has some hair to dye, he'll start the process again.
General manager Jed Hoyer has expressed his preference for the bright white look that Maddon had before.
"It may disappoint some people, but my wife's on board, and that's all that matters," Maddon said.