
"Happy birthday skipper" – Reds fans celebrate Terry Francona's 66th birthday with heartfelt wishes
It's the Reds' manager's birthday, and fans cannot keep calm.
Terry Francona
turned 66 on April 22, 2025, and fans are wishing their favorite manager all over social media. In his long tenure of 28 years with MLB, Francona has coached several teams and brought various accolades wherever he went. Due to his several achievements and demeanor, he has managed to be fans' favorite manager to date.
Fans wishing Terry Francona on social media
On April 22, 2025, the
Cincinnati Reds
took to their official X account and wished Francona on his birthday. The team even asked fans to join them in wishing the manager a very
happy birthday
.
'Join us in wishing Tito a very happy birthday!'
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Kelly Ripa's Daughter Steals the Show With Her Stunning Red Carpet Look
BigGlobalTravel
Undo
Fans responded positively and wished the manager a happy birthday. One user went on to wish, 'Happy Birthday Skipper!' giving Francona the tag of being Reds' skipper aka manager.
There were several fans who wished Francona by addressing him as Tito, the nickname that Terry inherited from his father, John Pasty Francona, who was a former MLB player. Fans went on to wish,
'Happy Birthday, Tito!'
a sweet reminder of the baseball inheritance that goes on in the Francona family.
Terry Francona's achievements as MLB manager
Terry started his career as an MLB manager in 1997 when he joined the Philadelphia Phillies. During his tenure, the Phillies performed well and achieved several accolades. He left the Phillies in 2000 and joined Boston Red Sox in 2004.
He remained with Sox till 2011 and brought several achievements to the team. He took the team to winning the World Series title twice during his tenure, once in 2004, and then in 2007. Besides, Francona is the only manager to win eight consecutive World Series games, making him one of a kind.
After leaving Sox in 2011, Terry went on to guide Cleveland Guardians in 2013. He remained with Cleveland back when the team was named Cleveland Indians. He stayed with the team for a decade, the longest in the history of MLB. He was awarded the
American League Manager of the Year
in 2022. He stepped down as a manager in 2023 due to health issues.
However, the Cincinnati Reds convinced Francona and the latter agreed to manage the team for at least three years. Whether he will continue beyond the three-year deal or not remains to be seen. For now, wishing the amazing manager a very happy birthday!
Also Read:
'Just wanted it to be over'- Orioles manager Brandon Hyde reacts to 24-2 meltdown against Reds
Get the latest
IPL 2025
updates on
Times of India
, including
match schedules
,
team squads
,
points table
and
IPL live score
for
CSK
,
MI
,
RCB
,
KKR
,
SRH
,
LSG
,
DC
,
GT
,
PBKS
, and
RR
. Don't miss the list of players in the race for
IPL Orange Cap
and
IPL Purple cap
.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Gambhir under fire for 'ditching' Shreyas Iyer as bold Kohli-Shastri claim surfaces: 'He discards players he dislikes'
Following the backlash against BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar — to which the Indian board later responded — head coach Gautam Gambhir has now been dragged into the debate surrounding Shreyas Iyer's non-selection for the Asia Cup. Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh alleged that Gambhir did not back Iyer's inclusion, hinting at favouritism in the selection process. Shreyas Iyer (right) did not make the India squad for the Asia Cup(PTI) Despite a prolific season where Iyer amassed 604 runs in the 2025 IPL at a strike rate of 174 and scored 300-plus runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a strike rate of 188, he was overlooked for the Asia Cup, which begins on September 9 in the UAE. The decision has sparked widespread outrage. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramesh claimed that a false narrative was being built around India's 2-2 draw in the recent Test series in England. While the result was hailed as a great achievement for a young Indian side led by Shubman Gill in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Ramesh argued it was only highlighted because India had struggled in Tests last year under Gambhir. He reminded that India's consistent success overseas had begun during the Virat Kohli–Ravi Shastri era. "He backs the players he likes but completely lets go of those he doesn't," Ramesh said. "Winning consistently abroad had started long back under Kohli and Shastri. But now, just the drawn series in England is being projected as a big achievement in Gambhir's track record." Ramesh also cited India's Champions Trophy win earlier this year, crediting Iyer as the decisive factor. Iyer scored 243 runs — the most by any Indian and second overall behind New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra (263) — to guide India to the title. "Gambhir's biggest achievement remains the Champions Trophy triumph, and Iyer was the biggest reason for that success. Yet, Gambhir is not backing him. Someone like Jaiswal, who is an X-factor player, must play all formats. Keeping him in standby is a poor move," Ramesh added. He further stressed: "Shreyas Iyer produced incredible performances in the same UAE during the Champions Trophy and should be a permanent fixture in India's white-ball teams. Players must be backed when they are high on confidence and in form, not when they fade away. This is the ideal time to reap the rewards of Iyer's sky-high confidence."


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Asia Cup: Where does Shubman Gill's elevation as T20I vice-captain leave Hardik Pandya in captaincy race?
File Pic: India's Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya. (PTI Photo) In contentious social media debates surrounding India's Asia Cup squad, Hardik Pandya was notably excluded. Known for consistently commanding attention, the absence of commentary on Hardik highlights a significant shift in the current landscape. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Previously viewed as the future of Indian cricket, Hardik was regarded as the designated successor to Rohit Sharma . He possessed the necessary accolades, including an IPL title with Gujarat Titans, accumulated 833 runs over two seasons as captain, and secured 10 victories in 16 T20 Internationals as India's skipper. His memorable final over that clinched the 2024 T20 World Cup final vs South Africa, appeared to solidify his standing. Poll What is Hardik Pandya's biggest strength as a player? Aggressive batting style Leadership qualities Personality and aura However, the buzz around Hardik being the ideal candidate to become permanent white-ball or T20I captain lost steam following a severe ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup match vs Bangladesh in Pune, which exacerbated his ongoing fitness challenges. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar's no-nonsense, 'We would want a captain who stays on the park,' on the eve of the team's departure to Sri Lanka last Aug, when he explained why Suryakumar Yadav was given the role, highlighted Hardik's fitness worries. India Asia Cup squad: Why Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill are biggest talking points In his absence due to injuries, SKY assumed leadership and helped India to multiple series victories with a composed approach that was in stark contrast with Pandya's more aggressive rapid ascent to the World no.1 T20I batter, established him as a viable alternative. Hardik's stocks fell further during the 2024 IPL season when he was announced as the new captain of the Mumbai Indians having been acquired for an astronomical undisclosed fee from Gujarat Titans. That the franchise made him skipper replacing Rohit Sharma, who had won MI five IPL titles, angered the fans and he was soundly booed every time he walked out for the toss. The team's last-place finish didn't help matters too. Concurrently, SKY's prominence as the preferred leader for India increased. The transition was formalised after the T20 World Cup, with SKY being appointed as the full-time T20I captain and Axar Patel assuming the vice-captaincy. In a subsequent development signalling a new direction, Shubman Gill , who is being developed as an all-format leader, was named SKY's deputy, effectively ending Hardik's ambitions of becoming India captain. However, his role within the team remains influential. Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar acknowledged Hardik' enduring leadership qualities, stating, 'I think more than anything, his biggest strength is his personality. Just sitting there in the dressing room or the dugout…there's always an assurance that something remarkable can happen,' he stated during an interview with Star Sports. Nayar further added, 'He definitely brings leadership to the group. He will always be a leader, whether he's the captain or not. And like I said, more than just a cricketer, it's his personality and the aura he brings to the team that matters a lot to these young players.' While he may not be the leader, Hardik, now 31, is definitely one of the cornerstones in Team India's structure. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Amid outpour of sympathy for Shreyas Iyer, former India World Cup winner says team can win Asia Cup
The announcement of India's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup has led to some polarised reactions, as is usually the case whenever any team is announced for the country leading up to a tournament or series. Most of the criticism is centered around the fact that Shreyas Iyer hasn't been included despite scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). However, there has also been a sense that the squad India have picked is briming with talent anyhow and former World Cup-winner Madan Lal has said that he feels they will win the Asia Cup. The former all-rounder, who was part of the team that won the 1983 World Cup, admitted that he is surprised by the ommission of Yashasvi Jaiswal but is happy that Shubman Gill has been selected. 'Sometimes you feel surprised that a player like Yashasvi Jaiswal is not in the team,' Lal told ANI. 'Gill is a good choice as he is performing well. In the coming time, it is possible that Gill will play in all three formats… The players who make the team win a match must not be left out. We have such a good team that we may win the Asia Cup.' Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that Iyer is not at fault at all for missing the bus. 'It's unfortunate that Shreyas Iyer misses out. It's no fault of his, neither ours. He has to wait for his chance,' chief selector Ajit Agarkar said. 'We have got some serious options in T20 squad…sometimes not the easiest squad to pick but good headache to have,' he added. Along with the main squad of 15, the selectors also named 5 players as standbys but Iyer's name wasn't in that list as well. However, Agarkar said that this was not the final team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. Iyer walloped over 600 runs for the first time in an IPL season in 2025, with his 175.07 strike rate ranking the best among all batters. He also clobbered 39 sixes as Punjab finished runners-up under his leadership. For India in 51 T20Is, the Mumbaikar has recorded 1104 runs, averaging 30.66.