The David Ortiz Bridge? Why Not.
David Ortiz by Keith Allison on Flickr/Creative Commons
A Lego statue, a donut mosaic, a cologne-scented candle—these are fleeting things. But a bridge lasts (more or less) forever.
So you know what, why not? The David Ortiz Bridge. Your state legislators are working to make it a reality, hoping to rename the Mass. Pike-spanning Brookline Avenue bridge after the slugger. Doing so is part of a spending bill working its way through the State House.
“David Ortiz’s accomplishments and heroics on and off the baseball field have made him a living legend, and his heartfelt contributions to the communities here and in his native Dominican Republic have made him an icon,” Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement, according to the State House News Service. “As a lifelong Red Sox fan, I am thrilled to be able to help our Commonwealth create a lasting ‘Thank You’ to Big Papi through the renaming of this bridge.”
The bill proposes the renaming to celebrate Ortiz’s “athletic accomplishments during 14 seasons as a member of the Boston Red Sox, and his personal contributions to the commonwealth, notably, his charitable commitment to children in New England and the Dominican Republic who do not have access to the critical pediatric services they need, and in helping the city of Boston heal in the face of the Boston Marathon bombing tragedy.”
The bridge is close by and has a good view of Fenway Park (it’s the one nearest the giant billboard on the Pike). So look, there’s been a lot of thanking going around as Big Papi finishes his career with the sox, and some of those “thank you” gestures have been pretty grand. But just think, you could soon be standing atop a massive, permanent tribute to David Ortiz, gazing out at the park where he became a legend.
Top that, Dunkin’ Donuts.
Update 5:29 p.m.: The state Senate enacted the renaming of the bridge late Thursday afternoon. Tweeted Sen. Joe Boncore: “This is your F***n bridge!”
@davidortiz, this is your F***in bridge! @MA_Senate enacts renaming of Brookline Ave bridge for Big Papi. #RedSox #ThanksPapi #mapoli pic.twitter.com/vcONsH8nki
— Senator Joe Boncore (@joeboncore) September 29, 2016
