David Ortiz

David Ortiz was a beloved Boston Red Sox designated hitter known for his clutch postseason performances and 2013 World Series MVP.

David Ortiz could not remember his new Red Sox teammates' names when he arrived in Boston in 2003, so he did what's common practice back home in the Dominican Republic: he called everyone "Papi." Broadcaster Jerry Remy noticed, added "Big" for good measure given Ortiz's size, and within a season the nickname had replaced his given name in the mouths of an entire fanbase. The Minnesota Twins had released him outright that same winter, unconvinced a part-time slugger with inconsistent playing time was worth a roster spot -- one of the more consequential release decisions in recent baseball history, given what followed. Ortiz spent the next decade turning clutch hitting into a personality trait: the walk-off homer and go-ahead single that powered Boston's 2004 comeback from 0-3 down against the Yankees, still the only team in MLB history to overcome that deficit in a postseason series, and a World Series MVP award nine years later in 2013. His most quoted moment, though, has nothing to do with a bat. Days after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Ortiz took the microphone at Fenway Park's first game back and delivered an unscripted, profanity-laced rallying cry that MLB let stand uncensored on live television -- a moment Red Sox fans still point to as evidence he meant more to the city than his statistics ever could.

Powerful left-handed designated hitter known for clutch performances

Boston Red Sox legend who helped break the Curse of the Bambino

• HOF 2022
• 3x World Series champion (2004, 2007, 2013)
• 2013 World Series MVP
• 10x All-Star
• 7x Silver Slugger
• 2004 ALCS MVP