This video titled, "A Conversation with Jack McKeon," was held in Whitley Auditorium on November 14, 2003 in Whitley Auditorium. Leo M. Lambert introduced John Aloysius (Jack) McKeon with the nickname ""Trader Jack." Lambert welcomed Jack McKeon as an alumnus. Jack was the manager of the Florida Marlins baseball team, the team to beat the New York Yankees in the 2003 Baseball World Series. McKeon was called out of retirement in May 2003 to manage the Florida Marlins. At that point in the season the Marlins had a 16 and 22 record. McKeon said, "I did not have any idea that they (the Marlins) would win in the playoffs or the wild card or even get to the World Series and had no idea that they would win the World Series." McKeon stated, "being with the Marlin players and seeing their attitudes and determination, and desire " the Marlins were on a mission." McKeon is a native of South Amboy, New Jersey, and attended one semester of college before his dad agreed to let him sign a professional baseball contact; the understanding was that McKeon would return to college to receive a degree. McKeon was with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1950s and came to Burlington, North Carolina, as a minor league catcher. McKeon became friends with Graham Lunsford ""Doc"" Mathis (Elon College"s Athletics Director). McKeon took classes at Elon and helped coach the Elon College Baseball team, and every spring McKeon was back on the road playing pro baseball. McKeon earned his degree from Elon College in 1963 in physical education. McKeon began his minor manager coaching years in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1955. He spent 15 years in the minors before moving up to the Kansas City Royals in 1973. He managed the Oakland A"s, San Diego Padres, and the Cincinnati Reds. Before being called out of retirement to join the Marlins, McKeon made his first trip to any playoffs and became the oldest manager at the age of 72 to win a World Series. McKeon was the third oldest manager in major league history behind Connie Mack and Charles Dillon ""Casey"" Stengel. McKeon and his wife, Carol live in Elon, North Carolina, and have a son, two daughters, and nine grandchildren. The McKeon family is a baseball family. Gregory Scott Booker, son-in-law, 1982 alum pitched for Elon College Baseball team and later pitched for the San Diego Padres. McKeon attended as many of his grandchildren"s baseball games as possible. McKeon"s comments included: a great honor to be at Elon; special year for McKeon to be in baseball for 50 years and had an opportunity to get into the baseball play-offs, lucky to have won the World Series in 2003, and named Baseball Manager of the Year in 2003. Marlins had a great bunch of players with a tremendous attitude. McKeon"s advice to Elon students was that "students have a wonderful opportunity being in a country to do what you want, to get an Elon education; students work hard and stay focused with a positive attitude and students will see successful results in their lives." He talked about attitude determined your altitude and dreams do come true with attitude and prayer. McKeon discussed how he got into baseball from being at the high school level into professional baseball. He attended College of the Holy Cross (Roman Catholic, Jesuit Liberal Arts College located in Worcester, Massachusetts) for one semester and prayed every day for 15 minutes to the Shine of the Blessed Virgin Mary to let his dad allow him to sign with the scouts. At the College of the Holy Cross Christmas break, the baseball scouts came to McKeon"s home and his dad called Jack McKeon into a private room and asked " "you really want to sign?" McKeon said, "yes." His dad made him a deal, "you can sign if you promise to obtain a college education." McKeon had a strong belief in the power of prayer. McKeon"s last comments before taking questions included: students work hard, pay the price, and their dreams can come true. McKeon took questions from the audience. Some of the questions that McKeon answered included: on behalf of the Boston Red Sox fans (a student) would like to thank God that the Marlins beat those Yankees; McKeon stated that he does not hear well; once the Marlins got the World Series " we did not care who we played (Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees) but deep down in McKeon"s heart, he wanted to play the Yankees (as a youngster McKeon spent many a day in Yankee Stadium, New York City); McKeon stated that the Marlins won the World Series twice (1997 and 2003) and changes with players occurred after seasons; McKeon stated that it would take approximately 92 million dollars to keep the Marlin team together and the Marlins only had roughly 55 million dollars; question to McKeon on steroids; McKeon does not believe in steroids or drugs; McKeon stated he had an undergraduate degree from Elon College, Elon, North Carolina; asked if the Marlins would have been beat by the Chicago Cubs with the fan, Steve Bartman, incident on October 14, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois; Marlins were a defensive club " the guys were like vacuum cleaners which helped the pitching; McKeon told a story on he played the Bongos (Bongos "Spanish: bong") are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument) after losing or winning a baseball game; McKeon stated have fun while working; McKeon stated if the Elon students wanted him to speak after the conversation, he would share how he got through Elon College (laughter with a wink); talked about the women major baseball team owners; informed the Marlin players that they got one manager fired and they were not going to get McKeon fired because he said, "I do not need this job"; McKeon continued the conversation and informed the players if they wanted to get to October, 2003 to be in the play-offs and the World Series " here was what they needed to do, here was the way we were going to do it, and McKeon was not a babysitting service for the Marlin players; discussed the baseball salary cap; McKeon"s theory was to expand his players" knowledge of the game and take chances; McKeon talked about shooting a player coming around third base with a blank gun " said it was a teaching tool; talked about the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (Cooperstown, New York) about Peter Edward ""Pete"" Rose, Sr. (permanent ineligibility from baseball amidst accusations that he gambled on baseball games while playing for and managing the Cincinnati Reds and later Rose admitted to the gambling); and discussed the Braves game against the Marlins in 2003. Some visuals included: Valerie P. Creek, John Burbridge, Victor (Vic) Costello, George Troxler standing, David Hibbard, various Whitley Auditorium shots of students, faculty, and staff.