Growing up as a Red Wing
Former batboy Radigan transforms into Hoboken’s premier slugger
When Joe Radigan was a little boy just barely out of diapers, he was regularly spotted at Hoboken High School baseball games tagging along with his father, long time assistant coach Bruce. Young Joe would always serve as the Red Wings’ bat boy just so he could be close to some of his childhood heroes, especially the famed Hoboken team of 1990 that went to the NJSIAA Group IV state championship game.
"Being around those great teams, with Chipper Benway, Marc Taglieri and all of them was like a dream for me," Radigan said. "Even back then, I always said that I wanted to play baseball for Hoboken, so I could play for my father and play for Coach Matt [head coach Buddy Matthews]. It was all I wanted."
Bruce Radigan obviously wanted the same for his son.
"My father started teaching me how to play baseball when I was 5 years old," Joe Radigan said. "I remember he drew lines with chalk on the sidewalk, showing me where my feet should be. I’ll always remember that."
Some 13 years after Bruce Radigan drew the chalk lines, the lessons are finally paying off, because his little boy is blossoming into a fine baseball player.
After somewhat of a slow start, Joe Radigan has been causing havoc with the baseball for the Red Wings. He’s been tearing the cover off the ball with his bat and been destroying opponents, as well as property, at the same time.
Over the last nine games, senior first baseman Radigan is hitting an even .500 with four doubles, a triple, one gargantuan homer and 13 RBI. The homer was a 450-foot blast that cleared the left field wall at JFK Stadium in Hoboken and crashed through an apartment window on the third floor in an adjacent building.
"Honestly, when I hit it, I didn’t know it was going out," Radigan explained. "I had to run hard out of the box, because it’s so far down the left field line and if it hit the wall, I had to make sure I got at least a double. But halfway to second, I realized it went out."
Matthews said it was one of the furthest balls he’s ever seen hit at JFK Stadium.
"The fence is 370 feet and he easily cleared it," Matthews said. "It just kept going. No one even complained about the window."
Being the courteous soul that he is, Radigan actually went and sought out the owner of the window, in order to make restitution for the broken pane.
"I went to tell the people I was sorry," Radigan said. "And they said, ‘You hit it that far? Nice shot.’ I guess it was."
Sure was.
And it was enough to get Radigan recognized as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Radigan was struggling at the plate to start off the season, causing some frustration.
"I was dragging my hands and not driving the ball," Radigan said. "So I just worked constantly to improve, going to the batting cage, hitting off the tee. I just had to improve."
Matthews wasn’t worried.
"Joe hasn’t made this season too important to him," Matthews said. "With some seniors, they put too much pressure on themselves. But Joe always keeps an even keel. He’s very patient, sometimes too patient. Nothing fazes him. I think he grew up around adults so much that it made him mature quicker than others. But I knew he would come around. He’s that type of hitter. He wasn’t going to hit in the .200s all season. I was waiting for that explosion."
Added Matthews, "Nothing Joe does with the bat surprises me. Sometimes I’m in awe of what he can do. I expected him to break out and he did. And it’s no coincidence that the team started playing better as well."
Radigan feels like he has made major improvements in recent weeks.
"I feel more comfortable at the plate now, and the ball certainly looks a lot bigger," Radigan said.
Radigan is also an outstanding punter in football, having earned Hudson Reporter All-Area in each of the last two seasons, as well as All-State recognition last fall. He is headed to Rutgers University on a football scholarship.
"Football is something I found that I’m good at," Radigan said. "Baseball is my love. Football just seemed to come easier to me. Baseball is a sport I worked at and still work at. So they’re very different."
However, Radigan is hopeful that he will be able to continue to play both sports in college.
"I’ve spoken to [Rutgers football] Coach [Greg] Schiano and he said he was all for me trying to play both," Radigan said. "I know my father has spoken to [Rutgers baseball] Coach [Fred] Hill. I’m looking forward to the challenge of trying to play both sports at Rutgers."
"Freddie Hill is definitely interested," said Matthews, who has lived in the same building with Radigan since he was an infant and has worked for 17 years with his father as an assistant. "Freddie might be a little leery, but once he sees Joe’s pop, he’s going to give him a shot. It’s been great to see the kid come along and do as well as he has, because he’s such a great kid. He’s respectful. Everyone loves him. He’s a grown up that has earned respect."
Radigan just wants to enjoy as much time as possible, the time he’s spent as a standout athlete at Hoboken.
"I’m really grateful for having the chance to play here," Radigan said. "I’m happy with the way things turned out."
From batboy to All-Star, truly a dream come true. – Jim Hague