Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz was the only player to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. As I predicted. And in my opinion rightfully so. Not only to be inducted but a DH being inducted on his first ballot shows the mammoth respect shown to his career.
“I am truly honored and blessed by my selection to the Hall of Fame — the highest honor that any baseball player can reach in their lifetime,” Ortiz said in a statement. “I am grateful to the baseball writers who considered my career in its totality, not just on the statistics.”
Now a word from 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙧 David Ortiz: pic.twitter.com/ZO49pBq8ou — Red Sox (@RedSox) January 26, 2022
When the Light Shown Brightest
Big Papi, hit 541 career home runs, plus 17 in the postseason, and was a World Series champ three times. His first ring Broke the Curse of the Bambino ending an arduous 86 year wait for a World Series victory here in Boston. I have long said that you can not write the Story of Baseball without David Ortiz.
¡BIG PAPI, por siempre INMORTAL! 🇩🇴👏 25 años después del debut de @davidortiz, ha sido elegido para integrar el Salón de la Fama de @LasMayores. ¡Eres un ídolo, orgullo e inspiración para todos!#MLBDominicana pic.twitter.com/j4yUA2QEWW — MLB Dominicana (@MLBDominicana) January 25, 2022
His Islands Hero
“For a young boy from Santo Domingo, I always dreamed of playing professional baseball,” Ortiz said. He thanked his parents for supporting him, and called his time with the Red Sox “a sweet and beautiful journey.”
Only Ortiz hit the magical 75 percent threshold for induction. He was named on 77.9 percent of ballots in his first year of eligibility. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and Curt Schilling were all passed over in their 10th and final year of eligibility and now fall off the BBWAA ballot. All four still have chances to be inducted by veteran’s committees.
Ortiz will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, on July 24. Six players who were chosen in December by era committees — Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Minnie Minoso, Jim Kaat, Bud Fowler, and Buck O’Neil —