Late innings, down by a run or two, runners on base. The imposing presence steps away from the on-deck circle and toward the batter’s box. He places his bat under his arm, spits on his gloves and claps his hands forcefully. The batter finally comes into his stance and looks to send the crowd into a frenzy.

An entire generation of New England sports fans was privileged to see this very image for 14 magnificent seasons. That image, of course, is of newly elected Hall of Famer and Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz. This past week, his election into the Hall came with a great deal of controversy. In 2003, Ortiz was among a group of players who tested positive for an unknown substance. While the specific substance has never been released, it is widely believed to have been a kind of performance-enhancing drug (PED). 

Many have critically and perhaps rightfully stated that Ortiz’s election highlights the inconsistencies of the voting criteria. The thinking here is that many writers voted for Ortiz because he has always had a rather jovial disposition. In other words, his willingness to maintain a clean image and hold a steady relationship with the media has helped him dodge PED accusations. Additionally, these same voices claim that writers have been less receptive to other potential and known PED users because of their respective personalities. 

Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds have all had chances to make the Hall of Fame but were rejected by the voters. All four of these players had great playing careers and may even have had more statistical leverage than Ortiz. Needless to say, there has been much debate over whether or not these men should eventually be inducted, especially given the fact that Bonds, Sosa and Clemens have now fallen off the ballot. Unfortunately, the chaos has seemed to outshine the man of the hour, Ortiz. Regardless of what he may or may not have taken, his career has left an indelible mark on Major League Baseball that should be celebrated. 

Since Ortiz spent the majority of his career in Boston, it is important to view his career through the lens of Red Sox history. Both statistically and culturally, his importance cannot be overstated. In terms of Red Sox career statistics, Ortiz is fifth in WAR, fourth in slugging percentage, second in home runs and third in runs batted. These rankings are incredible when considering the few names that Ortiz is trailing in these categories. 

Indeed, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Wade Boggs had more appealing regular-season numbers for the Sox. However, Ortiz was able to do something that none of these men could: break the curse of the Bambino and deliver Boston’s first World Series championship in 86 years. In 2004, the Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series fairly easily, but the road to that series was far from a cakewalk. In that postseason’s ALCS, the Sox fell behind three games to none against the New York Yankees and were “destined” to lose. 

Game four went into extra innings and it was none other than Ortiz who delivered the knockout punch and kept Boston alive. His walk-off two-run home run was just what the doctor ordered. Ortiz was also the walk-off hero in game five and certainly provided a spark as the club rallied toward New York. The Red Sox went on to stage baseball’s greatest comeback and win the series in seven games. The 2004 run was one of three championship teams that “Big Papi” was a part of. 

He certainly made his mark on each team, and in 2013 his presence was felt by the entire city of Boston. After the tragic marathon bombings, “Big Papi” lived up to his nickname and provided a comforting fatherly presence during a time of mourning. His speech days after the atrocity is still widely remembered by New England sports fans as that season’s turning point. Those same Sox went on to win the 2013 World Series against the familiar Cardinals. 

This is the kind of player Ortiz was. He showed up when it mattered the most. His career .289 average and 71 home runs in the postseason show the numerical side of what can only be explained by those who lived to witness his greatness. Are there players with better statistics? Yes. However, one would be hard-pressed to find a player who excited a fanbase and consistently fought for a city like David Ortiz.