III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. CON. RES. 18 

Honoring David Ame ́rico Ortiz Arias, the 3-time World Series Champion 

Major League Baseball player who played for the Minnesota Twins 

and the Boston Red Sox for a combined 20 seasons. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 22, 2017 

Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Ms. WARREN, Mr. REED, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Ms. 

HASSAN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. LEAHY, and Mr. KING) 

submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Honoring David Ame ́rico Ortiz Arias, the 3-time World Series Champion Major League Baseball player who played 

for the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox for 

a combined 20 seasons. 

Whereas David Ame ́rico Ortiz Arias, known to fans as ‘‘Big 

Papi’’, was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 

on November 18, 1975; 

Whereas after graduating from Estudia Espaillat High 

School in the Dominican Republic in 1992, David Ortiz 

was signed by the Seattle Mariners; 

Whereas, on September 2, 1997, David Ortiz made his Major 

League Baseball (in this preamble referred to as 

‘‘MLB’’) debut for the Minnesota Twins at age 21; 


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•SCON 18 IS 

Whereas, on January 22, 2003, David Ortiz signed a freeagent contract with the Boston Red Sox; 

Whereas David Ortiz has created numerous iconic moments 

in Boston sports history, including— 

(1) on October 18, 2004, hitting a walk-off home 

run in the 12th inning of Game 4 of the 2004 American 

League Championship Series against the New York Yankees to spark the Boston Red Sox’s improbable comeback 

from a 3 games-to-none series deficit, the only time in 

MLB history a team has ever made such a comeback; 

(2) on October 19, 2004, hitting a walk-off single in 

the 14th inning of Game 5 of the 2004 American League 

Championship Series against the New York Yankees to 

continue the Boston Red Sox’s comeback; and 

(3) on October 13, 2013, hitting a grand slam to 

right-center field to tie Game 2 of the 2013 American 

League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers; 

Whereas David Ortiz was instrumental in helping the Boston 

Red Sox snap an 86-year World Series drought; 

Whereas David Ortiz played a crucial role in the Boston Red 

Sox winning the World Series in 2007 and 2013; 

Whereas David Ortiz has won numerous awards for his baseball prowess, including— 

(1) the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated 

Hitter Award from MLB in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 

2007, 2011, and 2013; 

(2) the League Championship Series Most Valuable 

Player Award from MLB in 2004; 

(3) the Thomas A. Yawkey Most Valuable Player 

Award from the Boston Red Sox in 2004, 2005, 2006, 

and 2013; 


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•SCON 18 IS 

(4) the Silver Slugger Award as a designated hitter 

from MLB in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2013; 

(5) the designation of ‘‘All-Star’’ from MLB in 

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 

and 2016; 

(6) the Hank Aaron Award from MLB in 2005; 

(7) the Roberto Clemente Award from MLB in 

2011; 

(8) the Babe Ruth Award from MLB in 2013; and 

(9) the World Series Most Valuable Player Award in 

2013; 

Whereas David Ortiz’s ‘‘Why not us?’’ attitude in 2004 

transformed the baseball culture of the city of Boston, 

the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and ‘‘Red Sox Nation’’ from one of near misses to one of champions; 

Whereas David Ortiz founded the David Ortiz Children’s 

Fund in 2007; 

Whereas the David Ortiz Children’s Fund has provided millions of dollars of financial assistance to more than 500 

children for life-saving surgeries; 

Whereas, on June 11, 2008, David Ortiz was sworn in as a 

citizen of the United States along with 226 other immigrants at the John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester, 

Massachusetts; 

Whereas David Ortiz instilled hope and pride in the city of 

Boston in the days following the bombings at the Boston 

Marathon in 2013; 

Whereas, on April 20, 2013, David Ortiz gave a rousing and 

inspirational speech after the Boston Marathon bombings, reminding Boston and the country that ‘‘nobody is 

going to dictate our freedom’’; 


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•SCON 18 IS 

Whereas David Ortiz comforted the victims of the Boston 

Marathon bombings, visiting them in the hospital and 

giving them tickets to games throughout the 2013 MLB 

season; 

Whereas the city of Boston has honored David Ortiz for his 

impact on the city by naming a bridge and a street after 

him; 

Whereas the love and respect for David Ortiz felt by the city 

of Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Red 

Sox Nation is unparalleled; and 

Whereas David Ortiz played his final MLB game on October 

10, 2016: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) honors the legendary career of David 

4 Ame ́rico Ortiz Arias, whose character, leadership, 

5 and selflessness have helped define the identity of 

6 the city of Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachu7 setts, and all of Red Sox Nation; and 

8 (2) wishes David Ortiz a fulfilling retirement as 

9 he bids farewell to the baseball diamond. 

Æ 


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