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| RED SOX at the White House |
RED SOX : BASEBALL 2014
April 2,2014.
c/o Jason Mastrodonato
The Republican
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama was eloquent in his delivery on Tuesday, when he honored the Boston Red Sox for their 2013 World Series title at the White House. He adeptly made the connections between team and city. He mispronounced Mike Napoli’s last name, but otherwise impressed with his spoken knowledge of Boston’s local nine.
Still, it wouldn’t feel right to begin the story of Tuesday’s visit without first mentioning the selfie, a word that has managed to remain nonexistent in Webster’s Dictionary (though the Oxford English Dictionary has added it, even including directions on proper selfie etiquette).
During his speech, the president mentioned a handful of names on the Red Sox’s roster, but always added a little something more when he spoke of “Big Papi.” At one point, he turned away from his prepared statement and said, “Love this guy.”
After his speech, David Ortiz approached the podium with a custom made Red Sox jersey sporting No. 44 (Obama is the 44th president) and “Obama” on the back.
“Big Papi has something for me,” Obama said. “That looks pretty good. It looks like it might fit him better than me though.”
The President held the jersey high and said, “C’mon, let’s get a good picture.”
That’s when Ortiz reached into his pocket, took out his cell phone and said, “Mind if I take my own?”
Bold move.
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| ORTIZ ~ Selfi |
“Oh, he wants to do a selfie,” the president said, laughing. “It’s the Big Papi selfie.”
Obama has some experience with taking selfies. His selfie with world leaders at Nelson Mandela’s funeral service got him into some hot water. But he happily obliged anyway, smiled for the camera and the shot went viral.
“You don’t get that opportunity every day to chat a little bit with the President and take a selfie with him,” Ortiz said.
President Obama had clearly been feeling the effects of Ortiz’s charm.
Perhaps it was through their short interactions on Tuesday, or the love of the Red Sox from a few members of Obama’s staff, or simply Ortiz’s jovial, raw, unscripted passion that has a magnetic appeal.
It’s why the commander and chief couldn’t be upset when Ortiz took the microphone on the Fenway grass last April and proclaimed, “This is our (expletive) city.”
Ortiz wasn’t just a power bat who got hot in October. He was the one who had been staring defeat in the face many times before. He had been there to lift the lowly Red Sox out of a 3-0 deficit to the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Central Series.
When the Red Sox offense went missing during the first two games of the 2013 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers, it was Ortiz who smoked a grand slam. When they needed a morale boost, it was Ortiz who gathered them in the dugout and spread the fairy dust.
Ortiz’s bat tends to get more credit than his attitude, but Tuesday served as a reminder of how important that can be.
“For all the big names,” Obama said, “this was never a single super-star team. If you look at the numbers, no pitcher won more than 15 games; no batter hit more than 30 home runs.
“And yet, they led the majors in runs scored, won the most games in the American League, had the second-best ERA in their hard-hitting division. So this team never lost more than three games in a row all season. They just had a lot of heart.”
Obama later continued, “So they all stormed the field, readied the duck boats. But this was more than just a trophy and parade. With every game they played, the Sons of Fenway never forgot what it meant to wear the Boston uniform.
“When they visited bombing victims in the hospital; when they played ball with kids getting cancer treatment; when they started a program to help wounded warriors get treatment at Mass. General – these guys were saying, ‘We’re all on the same team.’
“And I think to.Big Papi put it better and more colorfully than any of us could. I won’t repeat his quote, but the point is, Boston and the Red Sox were one this season.”
After spending 10 minutes speaking and about 10 minutes shaking hands, the president left the ceremony on the lawn, walked inside and presumably went back to work.
Ortiz and the Red Sox go back to work on Wednesday. The White House visit was the last chance to bask in the glory of their previous triumphs.
They’ll always have the memories. And one special photo.
President Obama had clearly been feeling the effects of Ortiz’s charm.
Perhaps it was through their short interactions on Tuesday, or the love of the Red Sox from a few members of Obama’s staff, or simply Ortiz’s jovial, raw, unscripted passion that has a magnetic appeal.
It’s why the commander and chief couldn’t be upset when Ortiz took the microphone on the Fenway grass last April and proclaimed, “This is our (expletive) city.”
Ortiz wasn’t just a power bat who got hot in October. He was the one who had been staring defeat in the face many times before. He had been there to lift the lowly Red Sox out of a 3-0 deficit to the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Central Series.
When the Red Sox offense went missing during the first two games of the 2013 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers, it was Ortiz who smoked a grand slam. When they needed a morale boost, it was Ortiz who gathered them in the dugout and spread the fairy dust.
Ortiz’s bat tends to get more credit than his attitude, but Tuesday served as a reminder of how important that can be.
“For all the big names,” Obama said, “this was never a single super-star team. If you look at the numbers, no pitcher won more than 15 games; no batter hit more than 30 home runs.
“And yet, they led the majors in runs scored, won the most games in the American League, had the second-best ERA in their hard-hitting division. So this team never lost more than three games in a row all season. They just had a lot of heart.”
Obama later continued, “So they all stormed the field, readied the duck boats. But this was more than just a trophy and parade. With every game they played, the Sons of Fenway never forgot what it meant to wear the Boston uniform.
“When they visited bombing victims in the hospital; when they played ball with kids getting cancer treatment; when they started a program to help wounded warriors get treatment at Mass. General – these guys were saying, ‘We’re all on the same team.’
“And I think to.Big Papi put it better and more colorfully than any of us could. I won’t repeat his quote, but the point is, Boston and the Red Sox were one this season.”
After spending 10 minutes speaking and about 10 minutes shaking hands, the president left the ceremony on the lawn, walked inside and presumably went back to work.
Ortiz and the Red Sox go back to work on Wednesday. The White House visit was the last chance to bask in the glory of their previous triumphs.
They’ll always have the memories. And one special photo.
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