Synopsis
David Ortiz is at his best when he's surrounded by thousands of screaming baseball fans. He has led the Boston Red Sox to two World Series championships with his amazing clutch hitting. David is one of the most popular players in the game, but it hasn't always been that way. He struggled for playing time before finally getting a chance to prove himself and become a superstar. Follow the ups and downs of David's amazing career.
Elizabeth D. Schafer - Children's Literature
Talent and persistence played well for David Americo Ortiz Arias. He excelled at sports in his native Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, prior to becoming a prominent professional U.S. baseball player known as Papi to his fans. In his hometown, Ortiz, who dropped the surname Arias when he moved to the U.S., enjoyed playing sports. Aspiring to pursue a professional athletic career, Ortiz impressed Major League Baseball scouts. In 1992, when he was seventeen, Ortiz signed a contract to begin playing for the Seattle Mariners' minor league team two years later. His achievements with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers secured Ortiz a major league position with the Minnesota Twins in 1997. A broken wrist sidelined Ortiz briefly and spring training disappointments in 1999 resulted in him returning to the minors. By 2000, Ortiz played for the Twins again but suffered another fractured wrist. A free agent after the Twins lost a playoff game, Ortiz accepted the designated hitter position with the Boston Red Sox, enabling him to achieve his most notable plays. In 2004 Ortiz helped that team secure a victory over rival New York Yankees to win the American League Championship and beat the St. Louis Cardinals for the World Series title. The book includes sidebars, statistics, a glossary, and suggested resources that are useful for papers and projects. This biography concludes with baseball's 2005 season information. Part of the "Amazing Athletes" series. 2006, First Avenue Editions/Lerner, Ages 8 to 12.