Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona recently committed to a pledge of $1 million to the University of Arizona baseball program.
Francona, an alumnus of the school, recently told the Arizona Athletics Department the funds will be geared towards baseball capital projects. Construction will include an indoor hitting facility that will be properly named the Terry Francona Hitting Facility.
“Since I moved back to Tucson four years ago, it has been a priority of mine to give back to the University of Arizona,” Francona said. “The reason I am doing this is because of the impact the University has had on my life. The people at the University of Arizona gave me an opportunity to go to the professional level, and not just survive, but be prepared. That’s a big reason why I want to give back.”
The $1 million donation from the two-time American League Manager of the Year matches the same amount made by an anonymous donor in June for “stadium capital improvements.”
More than “$300,000 has already been matched towards this summer’s gift, but there is still an opportunity to contribute towards the remaining $700,000,” according to the website.
The Arizona Wildcats say the construction on the hitting facility will begin this summer with the goal of being completed by the fall.
Francona spent three years in Tucson playing for the school where he and the team qualified for the NCAA Tournament in all three of Francona’s seasons highlighting in a National Championship in 1980. The team said his third year was “the finest season ever by an Arizona player as a junior.”
If you’re interested in donating, you can at the “bear down challenge” here.