The City of Boston has garnered a reputation as a racist city, but one legendary athlete says nothing could be farther from the truth.
Red Sox legend David Ortiz remains adamant about how well Boston has treated him and African Americans alike. The 10-time All-Star went on The Glass Half Empty Podcast and discussed racism in Boston with Ryan Glasspiegel of The Big Lead.
“I never lived in any racial situations in Boston. Boston was a city that loved me, (and) I loved Boston,” Ortiz responded when asked about the city of Boston. “I don’t think it’s fair to blame the whole city of Boston when a couple of knuckleheads go out there and do something stupid.
“That’s not fair. There’s a lot of good people in Boston. I think that racial barrier is something that’s far behind. I’m not saying that situations are not gonna be out there in cases where people feel that way. But Boston has been way over the racial statement. Me personally, I live in Boston, I lived in a neighborhood where the only black folk was me. Everybody was great to me. Everybody was wonderful to me. I think people need to start seeing and looking at Boston differently than what people say that it was back in the day.”
Last season, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones claimed that a fan at Fenway Park used a racial slur toward him while he was playing in the outfield. There was also an incident with a fan heckling a Kenyan singer during her rendition of the national anthem.
Ortiz has been one of the more outspoken advocates for the city of Boston during his 14 seasons with the Red Sox. Ortiz is revered in Boston for his play on the diamond, and for his memorable speech in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.
