A good manager knows how to diffuse tense situations, and Alex Cora was on his A-game Thursday.
The Boston Red Sox manager was asked in his end-of-season press conference about an incident at Wednesday’s World Series victory parade in which an unruly fan tossed an open beer can that hit Cora and spilled beer on him and his daughter.
Cora looked uncharacteristically upset in a video of the scene, which showed the 43-year-old manager staring down and pointing at the culprit. On Thursday, though, he insisted it was all water (beer?) under the bridge.
“I panicked because it kind of like hit me and hit my daughter,’ Cora told reporters. “You ask my daughter, she didn’t care. She was like, ‘Hey, it’s part of it.’ I don’t know.
“I know the kid didn’t mean to hurt anybody. It’s dangerous, but it is what it is. I guess he apologized; I don’t know where he is right now, but we’re fine, actually.”
Cora then sprinkled in a little self-deprecating humor:
“I’ve just got to be ready to make that play next time.”
He also confirmed neither he nor his daughter were injured in the incident.
The beer-thrower, identified as a 19-year-old man from Sandwich, Mass., was (rightfully) arrested for his actions, but at least he’s not on the bad side of a World Series champion manager.
Cora wasn’t the only target of beer-filled projectiles Wednesday, as cans launched toward the team’s duck boats also hit Mookie Betts and even damaged a World Series trophy.
