David Ortiz is accustomed to fans serenading him with “Papi! Papi!” chants inside the familiar confines of Fenway Park, but Saturday morning that unbridled enthusiasm came in a different setting.
The former Red Sox slugger delivered a speech as a commencement speaker at Regis College’s commencement. While addressing more than 900 students was a privilege in itself, there was one particular student Ortiz was especially overjoyed to honor: his oldest daughter, Jessica Ortiz, who was one of those graduates.
"One of the most important things for me was confidence, it is everything. Every time I stepped up to the plate I was confident in myself.