David Ortiz To Receive Boston Pride Award At The Globies

The Boston Pride Award, which is given as part of The Globies sports awards show, goes to an outstanding representative of Boston Sports. That made the selection of David Ortiz an easy one.

In his 14 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Ortiz did more than help win three championships and hit 483 home runs. He came to embody the spirit of the city, much in the way late Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the posthumous winner of the Boston Pride Award last year, did.

Ortiz is caring, his generous nature changing the lives of hundreds of sick children. The David Ortiz Children’s Fund has provided critical pediatric care in the Boston area and in his native Dominican Republic.

During his retirement season, Ortiz made time for fans young and old and in his final game at Fenway Park was in tears when he waved farewell from the mound.

Ortiz is combative, too. His fiery speech at Fenway Park on April 20, 2013, helped galvanize the city in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Did he cross the line at times? You bet. Ortiz snarled at umpires, occasionally complained about his contract, and one time even broke into a press conference to profanely complain about a scoring call. But you always knew where he stood.

Red Sox fans will always remember how clutch Ortiz was, too. From the 2004 postseason all the way to the 2013 playoffs, his ability to deliver when it truly mattered changed the course of the franchise. Ortiz hit .291 with 17 home runs and 57 RBIs in 76 postseason games for the Red Sox.

In the World Series, Ortiz hit an astonishing .455 with 14 RBIs in 14 games.

Caring, combative, and clutch. That sounds a lot like the city of Boston and explains why Ortiz is the latest winner of the Boston Pride Award.

The Globies are Monday night at the House of Blues Boston.Click here to purchase tickets.