NESN To Celebrate The Career Of David Ortiz With Two Special Programs

David Ortiz: The Journey — Premieres Friday, September 16

The David Ortiz Era — Premieres Wednesday, September 28

September 6, 2016 — NESN, the official home of the Boston Red Sox, announced today plans for a pair of special programs that celebrate and relive the historic career of Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.

On NESN
— “David Ortiz: The Journey” presented by Foxwoods Resort Casino will premiere on NESN on Friday, September 16, at 10 p.m. ET, immediately following the conclusion of the Red Sox-Yankees game. See program description below.
— The David Ortiz Era presented by Foxwoods Resort Casino will premiere on NESN on Wednesday, September 28, at 10 p.m. ET, immediately following the conclusion of the Red Sox-Yankees game. See program description below.

At GlobeDocs Film Festival
“The David Ortiz Era” and “David Ortiz: The Journey” will be featured on opening night of the second annual GlobeDocs Film Festival at Fenway Park on Wednesday, September 28, at 7 p.m. ET. The film festival is part of HUBweek, a festival of art, science and technology.

During an in-depth, exclusive interview with NESN, David Ortiz shared amazing stories and surprising insights into his life and career, many of which fans have never heard. In addition to Ortiz, the shows include commentary and perspectives from up to a dozen past and present players.

Ortiz, a 10-time All-Star, six-time Silver Slugger and three-time World Series champion, continues to set records in his final season. In August, Ortiz joined Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron as only the 11th player in MLB history to have 10 seasons with 30 home runs and 100 RBI for the same team.

“David Ortiz has been one of the most iconic players in Major League Baseball the past 14 years,” Sean McGrail, NESN President and CEO, said. “David has been the heart and soul of Red Sox baseball on NESN since his arrival in 2003. With everything that he represents to the team, the city of Boston and Red Sox Nation, we’re delighted to present these two distinctive specials that feature his life and achievements.”

“We’re excited to give fans a way to relive memories with new details, learn more about David and celebrate this historic era,” Joseph Maar, NESN’s Vice President of Programming and Production, Executive Producer, said.

“Having these two programs screen in Fenway Park as part of the GlobeDocs Film Festival gives fans of baseball and documentary films a unique way to enjoy these incredible stories produced by NESN,” Lisa Viola, curator of the GlobeDocs Film Festival, said.

“David Ortiz: The Journey”
Premieres on NESN on Friday, September 16, at 10 p.m. ET
NESN’s first special presentation, “David Ortiz: The Journey,” is a firsthand interview documentary film that takes an introspective look at the extraordinary career of David Ortiz. The program features exclusive commentary from Ortiz about growing up in the Dominican Republic and how it shaped him as a player and a person. He also discusses how his relationships with teammates, past and present, have made a difference in his road from obscurity to being the face of the Boston Red Sox. The one-hour special will debut immediately following the conclusion of the Red Sox-Yankees game on Friday, September 16 (preceding postgame coverage).

“The David Ortiz Era”
Debuts on NESN on Wednesday, September 28, at 10 p.m. ET
Special showing that night during GlobeDocs Film Festival at Fenway Park
The second special program, “The David Ortiz Era,” will be a narrative, documentary-style feature film that tells the story of how Ortiz went from signing with Boston as an unheralded free agent to winning three World Series titles with the Red Sox. Ortiz and many of his teammates, including Pedro Martinez, Kevin Millar, Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield, discuss this incredible era of Sox history in which the mindset of Red Sox Nation was transformed.

— NESN will premiere the documentary on Wednesday, September 28, immediately following the conclusion of the Red Sox-Yankees game (preceding post-game coverage).
— “The David Ortiz Era” and “David Ortiz: The Journey” also will be featured on opening night of the GlobeDocs Film Festival at Fenway Park earlier that same evening. Tickets will be $10, and children 12 and under have free entry with an adult. Film Festival tickets and patron passes now are on sale. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit BostonGlobe.com/filmfest.

About NESN
NESN has consistently been one of the top-rated regional sports networks in the country with several award-winning programs including its Red Sox and Bruins coverage. The network is delivered to over 4 million homes throughout the six-state New England region and an additional 5 million homes nationally as NESN National. Forbes Magazine recently ranked NESN as the 9th Most Valuable Sports Business Brand in the World. NESN.com is one of the Top 15 sports web sites in the U.S. and recently launched NESN Fuel, an automotive enthusiast, car buyers and racing fan website. NESN’s social responsibility program, NESN Connects, is proud to support and connect its employees with charitable organizations in our communities. NESN is owned by Fenway Sports Group (owners of the Boston Red Sox) and Delaware North (owners of the Boston Bruins).

About GlobeDocs Film Festival
The GlobeDocs Film Festival is a five-day documentary film festival designed to engage, promote, and celebrate film and production talent. The festival, which takes place during HUBweek in select theaters across Boston, is specifically curated to include a lively, hosted post-film conversation with Boston Globe journalists to turn screenings into an opportunity for the community to come together and have an open dialogue.

About HUBweek
HUBweek is a week-long creativity and innovation festival, and a first-of-its-kind civic collaboration between The Boston Globe, Harvard University, MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital. The inaugural HUBweek festival took place in October 2015, and had 46,000 participants, 106 events over 8 days, as well as 70 collaborating organizations participate. HUBweek’s mission is to convene, celebrate and showcase the most creative and inventive people in art, science, and technology making an impact in Greater Boston and across the globe.

Thumbnail photo via Neville E. Guard/USA TODAY Sports Images