CHICAGO (AP) — The September schedule for the Tampa Bay Rays worked out quite nicely for Jake Mangum.
The rookie outfielder joined his father, John Mangum Jr., for the Chicago Bears’ game against the Minnesota Vikings . It was an alumni game for the Bears, and John Mangum Jr., 58, played defensive back for the team for nine seasons.
Tampa Bay had an off day before a stretch of six consecutive games in Chicago. The Rays beat the White Sox in the opener of a three-game set on Tuesday night, and they take on the Cubs in a weekend series beginning Friday afternoon.
“Made it there at the start of the second quarter, and then later that same quarter my dad went down on the field,” Jake Mangum said. “It was cool, man. First time I can ever remember him being on the field at Soldier Field. I was a baby when he was done.”
Jake Mangum, 29, comes from a football family. His uncle, Kris, was a tight end who won a national title at Alabama in 1992 before playing for the Carolina Panthers for 10 years. His grandfather played defensive tackle for the AFL’s Boston Patriots for two seasons.
John Mangum Jr. played for the Crimson Tide before he was selected by Chicago in the sixth round of the 1990 draft. The Mississippi native had five interceptions in 105 games with the Bears, including 25 starts.
“Hearing my parents talk about stories about the city of Chicago, what it was like living here for a decade, they love it. They were happy to be back,” Jake Mangum said.
Mangum said his dad doesn’t talk very much about his football career.
“You have to like get it out of him,” he said. “But hearing the stories of his teammates and, you know, (Mike) Singletary and Walter Payton, Mississippi guy, Ron Rivera, what they called him and how they operated together. It’s just really cool.”
Mangum quit playing football when he was a freshman in high school so he could focus on baseball. He played college ball at Mississippi State before he was taken by the New York Mets in the fourth round of the 2019 amateur draft.
The switch-hitter was traded from Miami to Tampa Bay in 2023 and made his big league debut on March 30 against Colorado. He is batting .295 with 23 steals in 100 games with the Rays.
Mangum’s first season in the majors has involved connections to his parents at multiple points along the way.
“It’s nuts, man,” he said. “Getting my callup on their wedding anniversary, first game being across the street from his last game, having two Monday off days in September and one of them being on an alumni game for the Bears, it’s crazy. ... I definitely think it’s something spiritual for sure.”
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