BOSTON -- David Ortiz had his number retired Friday night, and once again, we were reminded of his perfect sense of the moment.
During a half-hour pregame ceremony in Fenway Park, Ortiz hit all the high notes. He thanked his former Boston Red Sox teammates, ownership and his family, but saved the fans for last. He even gave a poignant recognition to Kirby Puckett, the late Hall of Famer who inspired him to ask for No. 34 when he arrived in Boston 14 years ago.
A highlight video on the center-field scoreboard replayed Big Papi's greatest hits, from the postseason walkoffs against the New York Yankees to the ALCS grand slam against the Detroit Tigers and his uplifting "This is our f---ing city" speech after the Boston Marathon bombing.