Terry Francona of the Guardians, sans scooter, comments on his departure from the game.
Terry Francona made it to the home finale, his last managing the Cleveland Guardians before retirement.
His beloved scooter didn’t get there.
Just hours before Cleveland fans saluted the popular manager, who is leaving baseball after 11 seasons with the club, Francona revealed that the celebrated motorized scooter he rode to and from Progressive Field for the past several seasons was stolen for the second time.
“The hog has been officially put on ice,” Francona said, using the pet nickname for his ride before Wednesday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. “It got stolen again, but this time they stripped it.”
Francona said the two-wheeled vehicle was swiped about 10 days ago. It was first stolen in January but recovered by Cleveland police.
“Been in mourning,” he said. “They got it in the clubhouse under a blanket. Looks like they took a baseball bat to it.”
Francona, 64, recently hopped on a substitute electric scooter, but the ride wasn’t the same. He veered out of the way to avoid hitting some pedestrians, caught a pothole on a cobblestone street near his downtown apartment and crashed.
“I went over the handlebars,” he said. “I mean over. It’s amazing how much you can see of your life in that moment.”
Jokes aside — and it was fitting the moments before Francona’s finale included some light-hearted one-liners from him — the last home game in 2023 is a bittersweet celebration, but the Guardians sent Francona off with a 4-3 victory Wednesday night.
After the final out, Francona, who is retiring after 23 seasons, two World Series titles and the respect of virtually everyone in the sport, stood in line like he always has to shake hands and high-five his players.
He briefly walked down the dugout steps before turning, and with the help of a gentle shove from All-Star third baseman José Ramírez, Francona went back on the field to soak in an ovation to remember.
“Ti-to!” Ti-to!” they screamed.
He had no words.
“I was really touched,” Francona. “I guess what I’m just trying to convey is the 11 years here are what is the best part. It’s not like the last day. It’s everything that I lived through here with the people that I was with and that’s what I care about.”
