Well, kind of.Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is on this week's Sports Illustrated cover. Ortiz, in case you weren't aware, played for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers when he was in the Mariners organization (his name then was David Arias). He met a Wisconsin gal and they now have three children and live in the Wrightstown area.
Tom Verducci, who is second only to Gary Smith as the best living writer on the face of the planet, wrote a wonderful piece about Ortiz in the issue.
From what I hear, Ortiz is one of the good guys in baseball. He's fun to be around, a delight to watch, and he produced some of the best goosebump moments of the 2004 playoffs when he hit the walk-off home run against the Yankees in Game 4 of the ALCS, sparking the Sox' dramatic comeback in the series. And I love how he spits on his hands then claps before digging into the batter's box. I tried doing that before I typed a story, but co-workers started to complain.
During the offseaon, Ortiz is often spotted at Appleton area hangouts such as the Fox River Mall. A friend once showed me a picture of Ortiz he'd taken on a camera phone.
The SI story worked out perfectly for the Timber Rattlers, who on Saturday plan on having David Ortiz bobblehead night. I'll be working, but if anyone goes, grab one for me, too.
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