Francona’s scooter has been a staple of the Cleveland baseball scene for years, earning the admiration of fans and players alike. But now, the beloved scooter has been ripped away from its owner not once, but twice. What kind of cruel, heartless person steals a man’s scooter?
The first theft occurred in 2019, when some ruthless thief snatched the scooter from Francona’s parking spot outside the stadium. But Francona, ever the optimist, managed to find a replacement and was back to riding his trusty steed in no time.
Unfortunately, lightning has struck twice for Tito. This time, the theft occurred just hours before his final game as Cleveland’s manager. It’s truly heartbreaking to see such a great man suffer such a devastating loss.
But who could have done this? Was it a fan of a rival team, looking to strike a blow against the much-loved Francona and his beloved scooter? Or was it an inside job, perpetrated by one of the Indians’ own players as a cruel prank?
Either way, Francona is understandably distraught. “I’ve got a lot of miles on that scooter,” he told reporters. “It’s kind of become a pain in the butt to get around without it. I’m not very fast on my feet anymore.”
Indeed, Francona has relied heavily on his scooter to get around in recent years, even using it to drive around the infield before games and to make quick runs to the store during the off-season. Without it, he will be forced to rely on walking like some kind of common pedestrian.
The theft has sparked outrage among Cleveland fans, who have taken to social media to express their shock and dismay. Many have offered to start a GoFundMe to buy Francona a new scooter, while others have suggested setting up a sting operation to catch the thief.
But for now, Francona is focused on his final game as manager. He insists that the theft won’t affect him or his team’s performance, and that they will be playing their hearts out despite the loss.
“We’ve got a game to win tonight,” he said. “I’ll deal with the scooter situation later.”
Despite his stoic words, it’s clear that Francona is deeply hurt by this turn of events. Cleveland fans will be keeping a close eye out for any signs of his missing scooter, and we can only hope that justice is served.”
All in all, it’s a sad day for Cleveland baseball, and an even sadder day for Terry Francona. But if anyone can bounce back from this tragedy, it’s the indomitable Tito.
