A Christmas Story

With so many stories about athletes gone bad, here's one about Big Papi's big heart -- and how he's helping make little hearts get better.

Ortiz, looking stylish in a black sports jacket, red shirt, red shoes, designer sunglasses, and turquoise earrings, first visited a packed room with sick kids. It will be the intensive care unit when it is finished. There he signed the oversized $200,000 check.

"Hopefully everything keeps going and the children get better," he said. "Everything is looking good and I see a lot of happy faces out there. God bless you guys."

Then he visited Diana's room.

"I was frightened at first, he's so big," said Diana. "But he was very nice. Afterward I felt so wonderful. He resembles the poor people, the real people. I'll be grateful forever. I'll pray every day that he hits more home runs."

When Big Papi kissed her twice, her eyes lit up brighter than the lights of Estadio Quisqueya, where the local stars play.

She said it was the first time she was kissed by a boy. A very big boy.

Comments

[SF]

Didn't someone once post here that Papi was a classless human being? This story doesn't jibe. It's gotta be lies.

[Paul SF]

"Classless loser" was the exact phrase, if I remember correctly. Those papers. They don't get anything right.

[Lar]

How does Ortiz's PR firm rank along Jeter's?

[Paul SF]

Not very well, apparently. I haven't read any of these stories out of Jeter. Too busy selling cologne, perhaps?

[Paul SF]

I guess that should be, "Pretty well, apparently." :-P

[dc]

...leave it to you guys to turn a nice story sour...are you expecting a yf to say ortiz is just looking for some positive attention, after his mvp goof?...i noticed that the story mentioned the press turnout for the check presentation....see, some celebrities do their good work without seeking attention...do you know for a fact that jeter isn't doing good work, just like i don't know if ortiz did it for the attention?...uh, NO!...

...i happen to know ortiz' heart is in the right place, and he just became a little harder for me to root against...i've loved this guy ever since i saw him as a single-A-er, and realized he'd be something special...i just didn't realize how special he is as a human being...and what a shame his baseball heroics would be wasted on such jerks for fans...

[Lar]

dc - it's just in fun, mostly a play on the fact that Jeter's reply to MVP was so quickly dismissed as PR..

[dc]

ok, sorry i misunderstood lar...

[Lar]

Numbers or not, I think we can agree that we all respect Jeter and Ortiz - the usual "if he was on our team" kind of friendly dislike.. there's enough respect to go around to poke fun, I think! (Apologies otherwise!)

[attackgerbil]

This is a remarkable story, and quite moving. I found my own breath shortened when reading about David Ortiz' reactions to the suffering he witnessed and subsequent magnanimous gestures. Bravo, Papi. I already knew this, but you again prove you are truly a class act.

Since his name was introduced (I realize it was in a jest to previous PR threads we have had before), I would want to acknowledge Derek Jeter's Turn Two Foundation, which "represents Derek's wish to promote healthy lifestyles among young people and enable them to "turn to" his Foundation for guidance and the much needed help to avoid drugs and alcohol."

This story is about Ortiz, and in no way do I say this to turn this thread into a pissing contest. I feel badly that if anyone would think that my bringing DJ's name up was towards that end. My point is that these two men and all people who endeavor to be charitable deserve to be lauded for their effort, soul, and the fact that each have done something to make a difference in whatever way they can. That we see someone in that comes from the privileged position such as a major-leauger doesn't lessen or embolden their contribution. Sniping seems so out of place in this moment.

[attackgerbil]

edit: "That we see someone in that who comes from.."

[attackgerbil]

Trying to fix the open strike that I left.

[SF]

which "represents Derek's wish to promote healthy lifestyles among young people and enable them to "turn to" his Foundation for guidance and the much needed help to avoid drugs and alcohol

Does the foundation address prophylactics and health? Would seem appropriate.

[attackgerbil]

Does the foundation address prophylactics and health? Would seem appropriate.

I certainly hope that any concern that regards youth would have open channels of communication regarding sexuality, but I'm not knowledgeable the precepts of Take Two, so I can't answer that question.

My initial reaction to the Papi article was, "Wow, what a magnificent gesture." That's all I should have said about this top post. I applaud Ortiz, and hope more people follow his example.

[Whatever]

It's always nice to see athletes, blessed with the ability to make a fortune playing a game, give some back to worthy causes.

Lots of athletes do this, sometimes anonymously, and some you just never here much about.

Hideki Matsui, after the tsunami that devastated southern Asia two years ago, walked into a relief center in Japan, unannounced, and wrote out a check for a half a million dollars to Tsunami relief.