Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz is headed to his native Dominican Republic’s Hall of Fame.
The Dominican Sports Pavilion of Fame selected Ortiz, a three-time World Series champion, with the 55th Ceremonial of the Hall of Fame induction set to take place on Nov. 14. It was announced by the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hall of Fame, Dr. Dionisio Guzmán, according to Dominican News and later confirmed by multiple outlets including ESPN Deportes.
Ortiz, 45, is a native of Santo Domingo.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who played with Ortiz during their respective tenures in Boston, was thrilled for the former designated hitter, who retired with seven Silver Sluggers and 10 All-Star Game selections.
“David is bigger than life, man. I always said he was a rockstar playing baseball — the chains, the glasses, I mean, he’s David,” Cora said Monday, as shared by the team, before the Red Sox hosted the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. “For me, it’s David. For you guys, it’s Big Papi. But David means a lot, like I said a few days ago, like Pedro (Martinez) and David, what they mean to this community, not only the Latino community but everybody, is amazing.
“I’m so proud of him because it wasn’t only about baseball for him. It was about family, taking care of his teammates. David is one of the best teammates I’ve ever played with,” Cora continued. “That group was very special in ’07, we created a great bond.”
Ortiz is one of three professional players to be inducted with the Class of 2021, according to Dominican News. He will be joined by Julián Tavárez and Rafael Furcal, also former major leagues.
“But David, he was a game-changer,” Cora added. “On a nightly basis you always thought that he was going to do something great. He brought it every day. And what he did here, the way (Boston) embraced him, was eye-opening, it’s still eye-opening. We love the guy. I love the guy. And I’m glad he was inducted into the Dominican Hall of Fame.”
Ortiz played 14 seasons with the Red Sox from 2003 until 2016. He hit 483 home runs in a Red Sox uniform and 541 in his 20-year career.
