Joba Chamberlain's Long-Lost Mother Found

Since his rise to fame last year, Joba Chamberlain's personal story is something of minor legend. Raised largely by his father, who suffered through polio and a variety of other obstacles, Joba's tale is one of the power of fathers and sons to thrive under adversity. Thanks to his fastball, Joba's famous and soon-to-be-rich, and Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated's legendary profile-writer, chronicled the whole thing last year.

Missing in that story is what happened to Joba's mother. Colleen Kenney of the Lincoln Journal Star found Jackie Standley -- a former drug and alcohol addict -- and the resulting story is pretty unsettling:

The reporter Googles "Joba Chamberlain," and they figure out together that what she'd read online was a Wikipedia entry, one that got other facts wrong, too. But then they read other profiles of him from major newspaper sites, and most of them repeat the story that Harlan raised Joba alone. "My heart is pounding in my chest, dude. I don't need it. This is worse than drugs. This is going to give me a heart attack. No. I wasn't the greatest mother. But in the bad choices I made, I in turn made good choices. And one was for them to be with their dad a lot."

She wants them to give her yet another chance.

The end result is a portrait of a woman who seems both loving (she has a shrine to her son with both clippings and personal artifacts) and deeply disturbed (she furiously dials reporters to correct errors on Wikipedia, for example). It seems clear why Joba probably doesn't want much to do with her. But it's sad all the same.

Joba Chamberlain Photos

New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain throws a pitch to the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning of the second game their MLB American League baseball doubleheader at Yankee Stadium in New York, September 13, 2008. Chamberlain just returned from the injured list. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 2: Relief pitcher Joba Chamberlain #62 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the game at Tropicana Field September 2, 2008 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joba Chamberlain

Getty Images

New York Yankees' pitcher Joba Chamberlain works from the mound during the seventh inning of their American League baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida September 2, 2008. REUTERS/Scott Audette (UNITED STATES

Reuters

New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain works from the mound during the seventh inning of their MLB American League baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida September 2, 2008. REUTERS/Scott Audette (UNITED STATES)

Reuters

NEW YORK - JULY 30: Joba Chamberlain #62 of the New York Yankees deals a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium July 30, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joba Chamberlain

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NEW YORK - JULY 30: Joba Chamberlain #62 of the New York Yankees throws to first base for an out against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium July 30, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joba Chamberlain

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NEW YORK - JULY 30: Joba Chamberlain #62 of the New York Yankees deals a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles on July 30, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joba Chamberlain

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NEW YORK - JULY 30: Joba Chamberlain #62 of the New York Yankees throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles on July 30, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joba Chamberlain

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BOSTON - JULY 25: Joba Chamberlain #62 of the New York Yankees throws against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on July 25, 2008 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joba Chamberlain

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