Joe Calfapietra will be going into his sixth season as skipper of the Jackals. The 2004 Northeast League Manager of the Year, Calfapietra became the third manager in the history of the Jackals’ franchise when he was hired in November of 2002.

A Royersford, Pa., native, Calfapietra played baseball at Eastern College in St. David’s Pa and was a two-time All-American selection at first base. When he was not drafted out of college, Calfapietra, 35, turned to coaching and earning his Master’s Degree in Education. In 1994 he served as a coach with the Duluth-Superior Dukes (Northern League) and in 1995 and 1996 he coached the Aberdeen Pheasants  (Prairie League). Following his stint in Aberdeen, he was named Director of Baseball Operations for the Allentown Ambassadors, a post he held for five years, including two seasons as manager in 2000 and 2001. He managed the Northern League’s Gary Railcats in 2002.

Calfapietra compiled an 85-90 won-loss record over two seasons with the Ambassadors before taking over in Gary. He led Gary to a record of 35-55 and won Manager-of-the-Year honors for guiding a team that played all 90 of its games on the road because its home stadium had yet to be built. In 2004, he piloted the Northeast League’s Jackals to the franchise’s fourth championship. In addition to his work in professional baseball, Calfapietra runs Baseball Instruction-at-its-Best in North Wales, Pa.