Tag: Jeff Francoeur

Major League Baseball player tells hilarious story of how his manager let him play 27 holes with Tiger Woods

“I’ve met President Bush and Obama and I was not nearly as starstruck as when I met Tiger Woods for the first time.”

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Jeff Francouer shared a Tiger Woods story from back in the 2005-06 timeframe when Woods was an absolute menace on the golf course and arguably the biggest name in pro sports.

“I’ve met President Bush and Obama and I was not nearly as starstruck as when I met Tiger Woods for the first time,” Francouer told ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian on his podcast Great Game or What.

Atlanta Braves Manager Bobby Cox used to allow his players to play golf during spring training. One day, they had a 1 p.m. spring training game against the New York Yankees. Francoeur was 22 and had just been named a starter. He was in no position to ask for a day off from training camp. But he didn’t have to because Cox came over to him during stretching and informed him that star pitcher and golf fanatic John Smoltz had an afternoon tee time at 1:50 with Tiger.

“I’m like, I’m fine, Bobby, I’m ready to play,” said Francoeur, 40, a right fielder who played on eight different MLB teams and serves as a TV analyst for the Braves these days. “He goes, ‘No, I’ll make you a deal.’ He said, ‘After your first at-bat today, run through first base and kind of rub your ankle like you hurt it, right?’ He’s like, ‘In two days we’re going to Bradenton.’ You need three starters to play on a road trip. And he’s like, ‘I hate Bradenton’s infield. I don’t want to get any of the guys hurt. So if you go to Bradenton, I’ll let you play with Tiger,’” Francouer recounted that Cox told him.

As instructed, the right fielder grounded out in his first at-bat and ran to first base rubbing his ankle in front of an estimated 12,000-13,000 fans in Orlando.

“Bobby, he waddles out there and he checks on me,” recalled Francoeur before pulling him from the game as a safety precaution. “I run inside, literally throw my golf clothes, didn’t shower, and I get to the golf club and they’re on the first fairway. So I hit my tee shot, we end up playing 27 holes and around 4:30 my wife sends me (a text) that there was an update that said Francouer day to day with a high ankle sprain.”

The things professional athletes did to tee it up with the one and only Tiger Woods.

Real reason why Braves’ legend still pulls for the Tigers

ATLANTA – Though he never played football for Clemson, Jeff Francoeur’s roots run deep in the orange clay of Upstate South Carolina. Before he became one of the fan favorites of the Atlanta Braves as a player, and now as a television analyst, …

ATLANTA — Though he never played football for Clemson, Jeff Francoeur’s roots run deep in the orange clay of Upstate South Carolina.

Before he became one of the fan favorites of the Atlanta Braves as a player, and now as a television analyst, Francoeur was a Clemson recruit. And not just any recruit. He was one of the top safety prospects in the country coming out of Parkview High School in 2002.

But now, almost two decades later, Francoeur’s connection to Clemson remains even stronger than it was when he was committed to play for the Tigers before being drafted No. 9 overall by the Braves in the 2002 MLB Draft.

He still has a relationship with former Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden. He is tight with both Dabo Swinney and his brother, Tracy, and one of his closest high school friends is Clemson Deputy Athletic Director, Graham Neff.

“I am happy he is up there, and for me, it is great to have these people that you still know and talk to,” Francoeur said to The Clemson Insider at Truist Park on Saturday.

Years ago, when Dabo Swinney was just beginning his tenure at Clemson, Francoeur would give Swinney and his sons tickets to Braves’ games.

“He is great. Him and his brother, I text Tracy all the time. He is a beauty,” Francoeur said. “They know I love to be a part (of Clemson). I am just a big fan, and it is fun. They enjoy having people support the program that are outside that area. Outside Anderson and Greenville, you know, people around the area.

“So, whenever Dabo comes in recruiting and stuff, every once in a while, he will stop by, go to lunch or do something, so I am always happy for hm. He has done a great job and I love what he stands for up there. So, for me, it is a perfect fit.”

Francoeur says he still talks to Bowden, too. He says they talk quite a bit, and he and his wife usually go out to dinner with the Bowdens at least once a year when they are in Florida.

“I have always stayed in close contact with them. Tommy is awesome, man. Tommy is a lot of the reason why I chose Clemson,” Francoeur said.

Jack Leggett was the other reason. The former Brave said he had a great relationship with Clemson’s former Hall of Fame baseball coach.

His relationship with Bowden crew stronger when he bought a house alongside him in Florida.

“Me and Tommy became next door neighbors down there. So, we always kind of saw each other whenever he would come down for the season,” Francoeur recalled. “Of course, when he resigned and that whole ordeal, we saw him full-time.

“I just became a Clemson fan. I loved the University and everything about it.”

Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!

Chandler’s decision to play pro ball eerily similar to Francoeur’s

ATLANTA – Jeff Francoeur faced a difficult decision after he graduated from Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia back in 2002. At the time Francoeur was committed to play football and baseball for Clemson and enrolled in June ahead of the 2002 …

ATLANTA – Jeff Francoeur faced a difficult decision after he graduated from Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia back in 2002.

At the time Francoeur was committed to play football and baseball for Clemson and enrolled in June ahead of the 2002 MLB Draft.

But when his hometown team, the Atlanta Braves, called his name with the ninth overall pick of the draft, he opted to pursue a career in professional baseball and it obviously worked out for him.

“I just became a Clemson fan, I loved the university and I loved everything about it,” Francoeur told The Clemson Insider at Truist Park on Saturday. “I just had to do what was best for me at the time and that was play baseball.”

This summer two Clemson enrollees, Bubba Chandler and Will Taylor, faced a similar decision-making process and took divergent paths.

Chandler opted to pursue the big leagues and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 72nd overall pick in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft.

But Will Taylor turned down professional baseball offers with large incentives to play football and baseball for the Tigers.

Francoeur recalled the difficulty of choosing between two sports you love but his first round selection eased the burden of that decision.

“I think it’s like anything if you get two or three million dollars and every opportunity to make it to the big leagues it’s tough to turn that down it really is,” Francoeur said. “They are going to make sure you have everything you need to be successful to give you that opportunity.”

Francoeur still doles out advice to young players faced with the choice between a two-sport college career and by-passing the amateur ranks to turn professional.

“I tell them look make the best decision with you and your family,” he said. “My dad always said you go to college to figure out what you want to do afterwards and for me I just had the opportunity to be able to figure it out before. And that’s kind of what my dad was saying.”

The decision paid off for Francoeur who wrapped up a 12-year MLB career in 2016 that included six seasons with the Braves. He finished his tenure with a career .261 batting average, 698 RBIs and 160 home runs.

Francoeur maintains a positive relationship with Clemson and remains an avid Tiger fan despite his residence in the heart of Georgia Bulldog country.

He joked that Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney always reminds him that he has four years of NCAA eligibility remaining to play for the Tigers.

“Dabo still tells me when I text him that I have four years of eligibility but the only thing I could do is hold an extra point now. I don’t know if I’m worth much of anything else,” Francoeur said.

While Francoeur may not return to play for Clemson he told TCI he will certainly be at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday to pull for his Tigers against Georgia.

Football season has finally arrived. Time to represent your Tigers and show your stripes!