CLEVELAND — On Tuesday, the Cleveland Police reported that they had recovered Terry Francona's stolen scooter.
And they have the video to prove it.
Taking to social media on Wednesday afternoon, the Cleveland Guardians shared footage of officers returning the motorized bike to the team's manager. The 63-year-old Francona was clearly overjoyed to be reunited with his scooter, which was first reported missing on Saturday morning after being parked outside of his downtown Cleveland apartment building on Friday night.
"Hey guys, thank you again," Francona can be heard telling a group of officers before peeling off on his bike and shouting: "Back in business!"
Francona's scooter has become part of his legacy in Cleveland, as the two-time World Series-winning manager has been spotted by fans riding it home after games at Progressive Field. The organization once even featured a bobblehead with Francona riding his bike as a game day giveaway.
The scooter heist occurred during the same weekend as the annual Guards Fest, which brought players and fans together at the Huntington Convention Center on Saturday. Francona, who has served as Cleveland's manager since 2013 and is the club's all-time winningest skipper, was among those who appeared at the event.
Tito spoke at the 23rd Annual Greater Cleveland Sports Awards about his meeting with Cleveland police and the return of his beloved scooter.
A change in philosophy might be in store for the Guardians' skipper, "I'm probably a little too trusting. I haven't locked that thing in 11 years. Probably should start," Francona said.
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