Take it All Off: Respect Bald Event Raises Money for Pediatric Cancer Research

Saturday’s pre-game festivities featured the Cubs’ second annual Respect Bald event, a Joe Maddon brainchild that sees players and staff shave their hair off to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer. It’s a lighthearted event with some very serious undertones, which is really the way Maddon conducts his business as manager.

Joining Maddon in the barber’s chair were Davey Martinez, Kylo Ren, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, Ben Zobrist, Albert Almora, Matt Szczur, and as many as 52 others. It’s reported that the Cubs raised $29,000 Saturday morning, but seeing that little girl in the pink boots taking the clippers to Joe Maddon’s hair was priceless.

That same little girl, who Maddon identified as Audrey, was shaving another dude’s hair later in the clip. I had earlier misidentified him as Kylo Ren, but it turns out it’s just a younger version of Edward James Olmos. No, wait, Edgar Olmos.

Then you’ve got War Bear smiling as the kid shaving his head does the same. Man, I love stuff like this.