Joe Maddon’s mother, “Beanie,” was a little late getting to Wrigley Field’s first World Series game since 1945 Friday night, as her flight from Philadelphia to O’Hare International Airport was delayed due to an American Airlines plane that caught fire on a runway.

But Beanie still made it to Clark and Addison thanks to some help from the Chicago Police and Cubs traveling secretary Vijay Tekchandani, Joe said Saturday.

“We contacted the police, and they threw her in the back of the car,” Maddon said. “First of all they had to tell her she's not being arrested. Yeah, right, Beanie, being from Hazelton (Pa.), Polish Catholic, she would have imagined the worst first; they always do.

“So she was there. The cop assured her. My niece and nephew, Michael and Christine, were also part of the party. So I guess they threw them in the back there and just rushed them on in, and got her up to the will call window, escorted her in. And they got there by the second inning.”

Beanie, who’s 83 years old, navigated that long day well, starting with having her flight delayed and having to sit around the Philadelphia airport for a while. Then, after Game 3, she stuck around until midnight to see Joe and didn’t get back to her hotel until around 1 a.m. Joe said, and will also be at Game 4.

“Those tough Polish ladies, man,” Maddon said. “I grew up with them. They're awesome. They can really clean, they can cook, and she's the best mom ever.”