Red Sox great David Ortiz, who frustrated Yankees, honored by New York Senate

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz was honored by the New York state Senate on Monday for his prolific career and philanthropic work.

The Boston Red Sox great, nicknamed “Big Papi,” has long leveraged his celebrity status to raise awareness and money for a variety of causes that connect him to New York, according to the resolution passed by state senators.

His nonprofit, the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, provides cardiac care services for children in the Dominican Republic and in New England who otherwise cannot afford it. Those services have also benefited New York families.

Ortiz’s visit to the statehouse in Albany coincided with the 20th anniversary of his Red Sox team winning the 2004 World Series. The Red Sox hadn’t won a World Series since they traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, which launched one of the best-known rivalries in professional American sports.

Even though State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda, who brought forth the resolution, “is a die-hard Yankee fan, he acknowledges the great philanthropic work of Ortiz and his foundation,” spokesperson Rusking Pimentel said.

Associated Press, The Associated Press