David Ortiz took center stage Sunday afternoon to garner a well-deserved honor.
The Boston Red Sox icon received the Baseball Hall of Fame stamp on his legendary 20-year big league career. Unlike so many others, Ortiz didn’t have to sweat it out as he waited to land his rightful spot in Cooperstown, N.Y. The three-time World Series champion was elected to the Hall of Fame in his very first year on the ballot.
Sunday was a big day for not only Ortiz but also the entire Red Sox organization. Speaking with the media before his club’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, Boston manager Alex Cora set expectations for Ortiz’s induction day.
“It should be fun to say the least,” Cora told reporters, per MassLive. “I talked to him 10 days ago. He said he didn’t even know what he was going to (say). I was like, ‘Don’t tell me that. It doesn’t work that way. Somebody is writing it for you.’ But it should be good.”
Cora continued: “It should be fun. Pedro’s (Martinez) was great, right? The atmosphere, I remember that was a party, a Dominican party in Cooperstown. The big man, he puts on good parties, too. So it should be a great day and a long night for David.”
Judging from how Ortiz celebrated each Fall Classic triumph in a Red Sox uniform, Cora’s pre-induction analysis probably is spot on.
