Growing up a baseball fan, I've had the privilege to watch David Ortiz continuously bring in runs and wins season after season. Not only that, I could be happy about it since he was on the team I root for, The Boston Red Sox. More importantly, Big Papi is one of those players that all teams can love as a person and as a player and that truly shows a lot about an athlete. When even a Yankee fan can respect a sox player, you know they're an impressive person.
You have been a symbol of Boston all these years, and we're all proud to have had you be that for us. Your representation of our city is just as much as great as the number of wins you've brought in for us. You became one of us, as you yelled your pride in Boston's name, “This is our fucking city—and nobody is going to dictate our freedom.” You pumped up the city of Boston, just as you did for Red Sox fans for many games before.
You helped heal the Red Sox organization by breaking the curse and bringing us a World Series Championship trophy, and you helped to heal the city of Boston in a time of need after the tragic events that occurred at the Boston Marathon.
You were always reliable, and always relatable. Any athlete, sport's fan, non-fan, member of any family, could look up to you. I was lucky enough to meet you at a young age, a shy toddler, afraid to go up to anyone at Red Sox training. Except you. You acted just as an ordinary guy that I could easily approach, even though you are clearly far from ordinary.
Three-time world series champion, a world series MVP, 10-time all star, 500+ homers, countless walk-off hits and many more accomplishments you have under your jersey sleeve.
Anyone can look up your stats, and anyone can watch over the games you've played in. But no one but a sox fan truly got to see all the small things you did at games that made you Big Papi. Your mannerisms and your words and enthusiasm on the field, at our very own Fenway Park.
So cheers to the years Papi, you will be a Red Sox legend, a Boston legend and forever have a place in our city and in our hearts. Your heart and soul is with the sox, and the Sox found their heart and soul with you.
