Skip to main content

Francona donating $1 million to Arizona's baseball program

  • Author:
  • Publish date:

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is donating $1 million to the University of Arizona baseball program, with the money to be put into a capital projects fund.

Francona's donation, announced Tuesday, is in addition to a $1 million matching gift made by an anonymous donor in June for improvements at Hi Corbett Field. Among the planned projects is construction of the Terry Francona Hitting Facility.

Francona played three seasons at Arizona, winning the Golden Spikes Award as the national player of the year while leading the Wildcats to the 1980 national championship. His No. 32 jersey is retired and displayed at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona was the national runner-up last season, losing to Coastal Carolina in the College World Series finals.