Wednesday night marks the end of the 2023 home schedule for the Cleveland Guardians, but it’s also expected to be Terry Francona’s last game in Cleveland as the team’s manager, and fans across Northeast Ohio have gathered at the stadium to give him a proper send-off.
Eleven years ago Wednesday, the team fired its previous manager, Manny Acta, and two weeks later, Francona stepped into the role.
News 5’s John Kosich attended Francona’s first game as Cleveland’s manager and was back at the stadium for his last night.
Francona’s father played for six years in Cleveland, and during Francona’s first game with Cleveland in 2013, he called for his father, along with the fathers of the other coaches, to collectively throw the first pitch.
Francona has been a stable aspect of the Cleveland sports scene, staying with the Guardians through six different head coaches for the Cleveland Browns and seven head coaches for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Cleveland’s as close to family, a familial feel as you can get in a professional setting,” Francona said.
