Cretin Derham Hall High School was my school’s fiercest rival. I haven’t met one of them that I ever liked, with only one exception. Joseph Patrick Mauer attended CDH from 1998-2001, and in the process, embarrassed our basketball, football, and baseball teams on a regular basis. I can’t really hate him because who who could? He’s a local boy with a down to earth attitude playing for the baseball team he grew up watching, while also giving back to the community. To me, Mauer is the epitome of a hero because his heroism spreads beyond the stadium with his attitude and dedication to the community.
To non-Minnesotans, Mauer’s most recognizable heroic trait is his work ethic. Throughout his life, Joe has never been the bulkiest player on his teams, but he’s always been the hardest worker. Being the smaller kid, Joe was often overlooked in favor of stronger players throughout his childhood and into his high school career. The best example of his work ethic came after he was cut from the baseball team during his freshman year. Not deterred by the results, Joe continued to work on his craft and did more than just make the team the next year. He batted .600, was named National Player of the Year, and was drafted first overall in the 2001 MLB Draft. Safe to say the coach messed up.
While much can be said about Joe as a player, many say he is an even better person. Joe has kept a humble, level-headed attitude for most of his life, avoiding the spotlight and electing to give credit to his teammates and coaches during interviews. As a leader on the team, Joe understands the importance of the relationships he has with his fellow players and tries to build on them everyday. Reporters say he’s always going around at practice talking to multiple players about their families and their weekends. “He’s an average Joe, but he’s something special in the clubhouse. He’s a great teammate but an even better friend” (Kurkjian) said former teammate Nick Punto. Joe’s ability to stay down to earth and his emphasis on building relationships with others is another reason I consider him to be the epitome of a hero.
The last heroic piece of Mauer’s is mostly unheard of by those outside of Minnesota: Joe has a deep passion for helping communities in the Twin Cities area. He helps multiple non-profits that support local city kids and has raised thousands of dollars for other organizations. “‘We live and play here as big league ballplayers. We’re in a position where we can do a lot of good in the community and it’s a good thing to be in that position and help. I think it’s probably a little bit more special for me since this is my hometown'” (Thesier). Joe is a hero because he fights for a righteous cause and while some people with the same level of fame as him would only do a couple of charitable things, Mauer goes above and beyond to help those in need.
Joe Mauer is the epitome of what a hero should be because of desire to work as hard as he can to reach his goals, his self-sacrifice, and his actions to help others less fortunate than him. So even though he may be a rival, he’s quite alright with me.