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Hi everyone,
I hope you all had a FAB week! Today I’m so pumped to introduce you to the next installment of my series that highlights all of my favorite sports icons outside of football. There are so many athletes and games that influenced me when I was super young, so I’m thankful I get to continue to share some of my memories with you all.
As some of you may already know, I’ve always had an infatuation with Boston sports. My dad is from Springfield, Massachusetts, so he’s always been a big time Red Sox fan. Because of this, Big Papi has always been an idolized sports figure in my household… I mean it’s BIG PAPI!!!
One of my favorite memories of Papi was when I started covering baseball at ESPN in 2005 the year after they broke their world series curse. Our first big game was the Red Sox ring ceremony against the Yankees I was tasked with finding one of the player’s World Series rings to show on the broadcast for the game. So, I just went for it and just walked right inside the Red Sox Clubhouse and Big Papi was sitting right there. I then walked right up to him and introduced myself as a huge Boston Red Sox fan (who just so happens to be covering MLB for ESPN this year—what a dream.)
If you’ve ever been around Big Papi or have just watched him on TV you know that he has the best smile and is just a dream. Everyone just gravitates towards him. Another thing you need to know about Big Papi is he LOVES to use the F-word. It’s just how he talks.
After I introduced myself to him, he shook my hand and because I was on a mission to get my job done, I straight up asked him for his ring. He told me “Yeah” and may have dropped a casual F bomb because again it’s just naturally how he speaks and took his ring off his finger and placed it in the palm of my hand, it was freaking cool. Then it got a little more complicated. I soon found myself having to potentially leave the Red Sox Clubhouse through the concourse where a lot of fans are in order to return to the field. Security was NOT happy and did not want me to take Big Papi’s ring, but he insisted that I take it and security had to literally escort me back to the field.
I got on headset and told my crew I got a ring! Everyone was shocked when I said it was Big Papi’s. I then got to do one of my first hit while wearing Big Papi’s World Series ring.
Big Papi’s has become a friend and I love him so much. In the years after that ring day, Papi’s always looked out for me and my career; there were days where he would shut out every other outlet but would always make time to talk to me. I’m so thankful that we get to be colleagues at FOX, and we still talk regularly. I’ve even named my dog after him—Howie’s middle name is David Ortiz!
Do you have any favorite Big Papi memories?
Until next time,
Erin
