The Philadelphia Phillies have employed some legendary managers in their history. Fire-and-brimstone Dallas Green piloted the 1980 team to the franchise's first championship, while Charlie Manuel got the 2008 club over the hump after breaking a lengthy playoff drought the previous year. Larry Bowa is one of the most recognizable people to have ever worn red pinstripes, while Jim Fregosi took a group of lovable losers all the way to the World Series in 1993. Between those two was then-unknown Terry Francona, hired on this day 30 years ago.
Terry Francona has baseball in his blood. The future Hall of Famer is the son of Tito Francona, an All-Star outfielder (and former Phillie himself) from the 1960s. Terry had a decent playing career of his own that spanned 10 big league seasons, five of which were with the Montreal Expos before bouncing around a few different clubs.
When his playing career wound down, Francona joined the coaching ranks as a manager in the Chicago White Sox’s system. After a few seasons with the Southsiders, Francona became the third-base coach for the Detroit Tigers in 1996, before landing the job as the Phillies’ skipper on Halloween of that year.
The 38-year-old entered a rocky situation, with the core of the 1993 pennant-winning team mostly gone, and the club had failed to build another competitive roster. The 1997 Phillies featured established stars Curt Schilling, Mickey Morandini, and Darren Daulton (before a mid-season trade to the eventual World Series champion Florida Marlins), as well as a few terrific youngsters in Scott Rolen and Mike Lieberthal.
Nevertheless, the 1997 club limped to a brutal 68-94 record and finished last in their division. 1998 was a step in the right direction, with future face of the franchise Bobby Abreu joining the fold as a Rule 5 selection, but a 75-87 record fell far short of a playoff spot.
The following season was more of the same, as the Phils improved their record by just two victories. In 2000, the Phillies bottomed out, ending the season with a tragic 65-97 mark, back in the cellar once more.
With that, Terry Francona’s Phillies tenure was over. Four seasons of inadequate rosters led to a paltry 285-363 record, and nary a postseason berth. For fans wondering whether Francona’s managing was the problem, that question would be answered a few years later.
Terry Francona's Phillies tenure was a stepping stone to a Hall of Fame career
Francona spent the 2001 season in the front office of the then-Cleveland Indians, and served as bench coach for the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics in 2002 and 2003, respectively. In 2004, the 45-year-old would get another crack at managing a team, this time with the Boston Red Sox. In year one of his Beantown tenure, Francona (and old friend Curt Schilling) snapped the “Curse of the Bambino” by bringing home the Sox’s first championship in 86 years. The duo would take home another trophy three years later with a clean sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
Francona’s time in Boston ended following a historic collapse in 2011, but he landed in Cleveland one year later with the Indians ahead of the 2013 season. He went on to a very successful 11-year run with the former Tribe, posting a 921-757 record and capturing an American League pennant in 2016.
Francona stepped down in 2023, and it seemed like health issues may have ended his managerial career. However, he was back on the horse for the 2025 season, taking over the Cincinnati Reds. He’s spent the past two years in Southwest Ohio, with a combined 158-166 record in his efforts.
Terry Francona is destined for Cooperstown whenever he decides to call it quits. Two World Series victories, three pennants, and three Manager of the Year Awards make for an impressive résumé. It should be comforting for Phillies fans to know that one of the greatest skippers in the history of the sport got his feet when in their city, and it all began on this day 30 years ago.
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