The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Sox set date to retire Ortiz’s jersey
The Boston Red Sox will be retiring Big Papi’s No. 34 on June 23.
The team said Thursday it will be honoring David Ortiz before Boston plays that day against the Los Angeles Angels. The Red Sox had said before his final regular-season game at home last season that the ceremony would be held during the 2017 season.
Known for his towering homers and clutch playoff moments, Ortiz became a beloved figure in his 14 seasons in Boston.
The 10-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion retired at age 40 after Boston was swept out of the AL Division Series in 2016 by the Cleveland Indians. He went out in historic fashion, hitting 38 homers — the most for a 40-yearold and for a player in his final season. His 483 home runs with the Red Sox trail only Ted Williams’ 521 on the franchise’s career list. The team will hold a news conference on Friday at Progressive Field to formally announce the event, last held in Cleveland in 1997. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made.
Hosting the mid-season’s showcase is another boost for the Indians, who won their first AL pennant since `97 last season and pushed the Chicago Cubs to seven games before losing the Series.
When the Indians hosted the game in `97, Indians catcher Sandy Alomar hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning and was selected as the AllStar Game’s Most Valuable Player.
The city also hosted the game in 1935, 1954, 1963 and 1981 at Municipal Stadium, which was torn down in the 1990s.
Cleveland.com first reported that the Indians will be hosting the 2019 game, which will end a fouryear run by NL ballparks. Cleveland will be the first AL host since Minnesota in 2014. The All-Stars will be in Miami this year and Washington, D.C., in 2018.
The AL champion Indians have made significant changes to their downtown ballpark since last hosting the All-Stars. Back then it was called Jacobs Field.
The team has removed thousands of seats in the right-field upper deck and the club has created open social areas and better viewing for its fans with the installation of bar rails. The club also upgraded its concessions, using numerous local food vendors.