Terry Francona

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

After a four-year stint as the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, Francona was hired to manage the Red Sox in 2004 and led the team to their first championship since 1918. He won another World Series with Boston in 2007 and continued to manage the team until the end of the 2011 season. In 2013, Francona became the Cleveland Indians’ manager, leading them to an American League pennant in 2016, a 22-game win streak during the 2017 season (the longest in American League history and the second-longest in MLB history), and became Cleveland's all-time leader in wins by a manager.

In Their Own Story

In 2008, the Red Sox faced another dramatic elimination scenario in the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays. Trailing three games to one and down 7–0 in the seventh inning of Game 5, Francona's team staged a massive comeback with eight unanswered runs to force a sixth game. Although they won Game 6 to set up a winner-take-all contest, the Rays ultimately took Game 7 to claim the pennant. That year also marked a contract extension for Francona, securing his role through 2011 with guaranteed earnings of $12 million over the first three years. By June 2, 2009, he had recorded his 500th win as Red Sox manager, becoming only the third person in club history to reach that milestone, joining Joe Cronin and Pinky Higgins. His playoff record during this era was exceptional; among managers with at least 20 postseason games, he held the highest winning percentage.

Reader's Guide

Francona was born on April 22, 1959, in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to Tito Francona and Roberta Jackson. He grew up in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and attended New Brighton Area High School. He played college baseball at the University of Arizona, winning the 1980 College World Series and the Golden Spikes Award. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the first round of the 1980 MLB draft and made his MLB debut on August 19, 1981. He played for the Expos, Cubs, Reds, Indians, and Brewers, posting a .274 career average with 16 home runs and 143 RBIs. After retiring, he managed in the Chicago White Sox organization and later managed the Phillies from 1997 to 2000. He managed the Red Sox from 2004 to 2011, winning World Series titles in 2004 and 2007. He is the only manager in Major League history to win his first eight consecutive World Series games.

Did You Know?

• Francona is the only manager in Major League history to win his first eight consecutive World Series games.
• He led the Red Sox to their first championship since 1918 in 2004.
• Francona's 2004 Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to rally from an 0–3 deficit to win a playoff series.