Before Thursday night's Indians-Red Sox game, the Boston Red Sox aired a brief tribute video to former manager Terry Francona, the current manager of the Indians. Francona left the Red Sox after the 2011 season when the team collapsed down the stretch, and various borderline slanderous statements about Francona's tenure in Boston began to surface soon thereafter.
The tribute to Francona was brief, but the crowd gave him a great reaction. In addition to honoring Francona, several other members of the Indians that spent time in Boston were honored, including Cleveland third base coach Brad Mills, pitcher Justin Masterson, bullpen coach Kevin Cash, relievers Matt Albers and Rich Hill, and infielder Mike Aviles. Most of the video was reserved for paying tribute to Francona, the former Red Sox manager that led the team to a pair of World Championships during his tenure with the club.
Francona and Mills both seemed touched by the pregame tribute, and it was a classy move by the Red Sox to honor their former coaches and teammates before the series with the Indians began. Before the game, Francona talked about his return to Fenway, and after the game, Francona reflected on his first game back as an opposing manager.
