David Ortiz is always going to hold a special place in the history of the Boston Red Sox.
For that matter, his place in the history of Major League Baseball is quite secure, too.
He was a legendary designated hitter who delivered in some of the biggest moments in Boston franchise history.
And he did it with the kind of flair that won’t soon be forgotten.
That earned him a cool honor recently from the long-time publication The Sporting News, which released a list of the 140 greatest players in MLB history.
Ortiz was on that list, but he was also given recognition as part of a special category: “The Showmen.”
“This group had that extra flair for the big moment, a knack for showing up and coming through in the biggest spots,” SN writes. “They were at their best when the crowd was on its feet, the game was in prime time, and the lights were brightest.”
Ortiz was part of a legendary group of 10 players on this list. These are the other nine:
- Rickey Henderson
- Cool Papa Bell
- Carl Hubbell
- Jose Altuve
- Bryce Harper
- Curt Schilling
- Jim Palmer
- Reggie Jackson
- Yogi Berra
That’s a sweet list of names for Ortiz to be a part of.
Why David Ortiz Belongs
Every Red Sox fan has a favorite Ortiz moment, but his leading contributions in breaking the Curse of the Bambino have to be at the top of the list.
“David Ortiz met more moments than any player in Red Sox history, his knack for dramatics, potent bat and magnetic personality making him the face of the team’s curse-breaking renaissance,” SN writes. “Ortiz recorded three walk-offs in the 2004 postseason, the most by any player in a single postseason.”
In moments that the supposed curse would’ve held the Red Sox back for nearly a century, Ortiz instead found ways to win games in the most dramatic fashion for Boston.
All these years later, it’s a joy that the city still holds dear, and that will never change.
Curt Schilling Joins The List
As you likely noted above, former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling also made this list of “The Showmen” from The Sporting News.
For Schilling, the first thing that comes to mind is the “Bloody Sock Game,” but he also was really good throughout his entire playoff career.
“Curt Schilling craved the spotlight and thrived under it, yet is better remembered for his post-career self-sabotage than for his big-game heroics,” SN writes. “Schilling started five postseason games with his team facing elimination and won all five, registering a 1.37 ERA while averaging eight innings and 112 pitches.”
Yeah, that’s a guy who knew how to rise to the occasion, much in the same way that Big Papi did.
Red Sox Legend David Ortiz Honored by The Sporting News