Try not to smile as Tito reunites with stolen scooter
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CLEVELAND -- Guardians manager Terry Francona couldn’t have had a bigger smile on his face Wednesday afternoon.
Francona’s mode of transportation in Cleveland is his scooter, which he refers to as “the hog.” He’s often spotted motoring downtown before and after games during the season as he navigates from his apartment to Progressive Field. But when he came to town for Guards Fest over the weekend, his beloved scooter was stolen.
Hours passed before Francona got word late Tuesday that the Cleveland Police Department had tracked his “hog” down, and it was delivered to the skipper at Progressive Field on Wednesday afternoon. Francona was seen hugging the cops and posing for photos before he hopped back on the saddle and buzzed down East 9th Street.
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Francona’s scooter has become a staple in Cleveland. Bobbleheads have been made of the skipper riding it, the “hog” has made the trip down to Spring Training on the team’s equipment trucks, and even Francona’s good friend Kevin Cash knows just how important it is to him, considering one of the Rays manager’s pranks against Francona in 2018 included putting the scooter in the middle of the field during Tampa Bay’s batting practice.
No matter what external factors have attempted to drive a wedge between Francona and his scooter, nothing has succeeded. And clearly, the skipper couldn’t be happier.