From his outstanding postseason career to his “this is our fucking city” rally cry following the Boston Marathon bombing, the legend of David Ortiz is, well, legendary.
But did you know that before he was “Big Papi”, he was, for some reason, nicknamed “Cookie Monster”? How about that the less-than-svelte-slugger once legged out at least one triple in an impressive twelve-straight seasons?
Here are five other fun facts about the now-retired Red Sox star that you might not have known.
He Wasn’t Always “David Ortiz”
Before Ortiz was “Big Papi” (or even “Cookie Monster”), he was Seattle Mariners draft pick David Arias. It’s true. The ten-time All-Star was born David Américo Ortiz Arias and while playing in the minors for the Mariners, he went by his maternal family name (Arias) rather than his paternal family name (Ortiz). After being traded to the Minnesota Twins in 1996, he opted to go with Ortiz…and it stuck.
That Point is for His Mom
Certainly you’ve noticed Ortiz pointing to the heavens following a home run. But did you know it was for his mother? “I do it normally,” Ortiz once remarked, “just to thank God and thanks to my mom, too.” His mother, Angela Rosa Arias, died in a car crash in January 2002 at 46.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9W8t2hiIIg]He’s a Proud United States Citizen
Ortiz loves Boston and Boston loves him right back. So it’s fitting that on June 11, 2008 he became a United States citizen in the John F. Kennedy Library in BeanTown. And while I’d love to say he capped off the occasion by going out and hitting a home run…I cannot. Ortiz was nursing a wrist injury at the time.
Jay-Z Once Tried to Sue Him
New York Yankees fans hate Ortiz, so it makes perfect sense that one of their biggest fans does as well, right? In October 2009, Papi opened up a “Forty-Forty”, a nightclub in his native Dominican Republic. One problem…Jay-Z already owned a chain of clubs with the same name. In April 2010, the rapper took Ortiz to court, claiming he lifted the name. Nearly a year later, the two would reach a settlement.
You Can Eat a “Big Papi” Burrito
Ortiz always has his name on a line of salsa…so why not a burrito? When Sporting News scribe Jesse Spector hit Boston Monday, he introduced the rest of the world to the wonder that is Big Papi’s Kitchen Burrito. The contents? According to Spector, guacamole, pinto beans, hot sauce, sour cream, brown rice, lettuce, cheddar cheese, the meat of your choice and, naturally… “Big Papi’s Kitchen” salsa.
UPDATE: It's delicious. More to come. pic.twitter.com/qFB2zWxBLI
— jesse spector (@jessespector) October 10, 2016
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
