Terry Francona did the impossible when he led the Boston Red Sox to a World Series championship in 2004.
The team nearly made it to the World Series in 2003, only for Aaron Boone to break Boston’s heart, leading to Francona being hired the next season.
He was the manager when the Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit in the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees, which is perhaps his most memorable feat.
The World Series title in 2004 was Boston’s first in 86 years, and he followed it up in 2007 with another title.
Francona left Boston under less-than-ideal circumstances following a late-season collapse and some of his players not taking their jobs seriously, but he has found a new home in Cleveland.
He took the Indians to the Wild Card game in 2013, where the team lost to the Rays. After average 2014 and 2015 seasons, Francona has the Indians in first place in 2016, and looks poised to make a return to the playoffs as a serious contender.
A title in Cleveland, another cursed franchise, would cement his place as one of the top managers of all-time, with his titles in Boston being what he will be remembered for the most.
Next: The king of managers