Baseball fans would most likely be well informed about David Ortiz’s professional achievements in the game in which he became a legend. The retired Boston Red Sox bat has had a highly decorated MLB career that keeps people interested in his life off the field. Regardless of how famous the baseball legend is for his athletic build and skill, the focus this time is not on his career cups. David Ortiz’s kids, wife, and parents have undoubtedly been his support system over the years. Here is a closer look at the private life of the 10 times All-Star.
Who are David Ortiz’s Kids and Family Members?
Not much is known about the mother of David Ortiz, who died in a car accident in 2002 at the age of 46. But the baseball player apparently inherited his sporting genes from his father Americo Enrique Ortiz, popularly known as Leo Ortiz. The older Ortiz was also a professional baseball player in his home country. David was born on November 18, 1975, and is the oldest of his parents’ four children.
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Although it has been years since Big Daddy’s mother passed away, the Dominican star still honors her memory. Ortiz not only has a tattoo that resembles his mother on her biceps, but he also attributes his professional success to her. Big Papi fans would remember the retired baseball player because every time he hit a home run, he held his own victory celebration. The reason Ortiz always pointed to heaven at such times was to acknowledge God and his mother.
David Ortiz has now started a family of his own, and his long-standing relationship is regarded by many as exemplary. The baseball legend is happily married to Tiffany Ortiz. The couple met in 1996 when David was still playing in the Minor League. After being together for a while, they entered into a private ceremony in November 2002. The marriage of David and Tiffany produced two children – while the first Alexandra was welcomed in 2001, her son D’Angelo joined the family in 2004. They are also proud parents of Jessica, a daughter David had from a previous relationship.
Although David and Tiffany have been together for more than two decades, their relationship has not been without problems. Especially in April 2013, the couple made the difficult decision to officially break up, but fortunately, they could hardly stay away from each other for that long and were back together barely a year later. One can safely say that the couple really sealed their fate forever.
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What is David Ortiz’s Height?
The Dominican-born legend started his career at the age of 21 with the Minnesota Twins. Ortiz remained on the team until 2002 when the Red Sox signed him up as a freelancer. The hybrid player, who has an imposing figure, is affectionately known as Big Papi. David Ortiz rises to a height of 6 feet 3 inches and has huge forearms and biceps. During his active career, he weighed about 230 pounds and tried to keep a diet to stay in shape and add years to his career.
What Happened To The Baseball Legend?
On June 9, 2019, David Ortiz was involved in a life-threatening situation. While enjoying himself with friends in an outdoor bar in his hometown of Santo Domingo, he was shot in the back and wounded by an unknown assailant on a motorcycle. Investigators initially believed that the incident was a robbery, but have since classified it as an assassination attempt. Although the investigation is still ongoing, the suspected shooter and five accomplices, who were offered about 7,800 dollars for the attack, were arrested.
The former Boston Red Sox star, whose liver was damaged, underwent emergency surgery in the Dominican Republic, where doctors had to remove part of his intestines, colon, and gall bladder. Ortiz was later flown to Boston, where he was certified as safe and continues to make good progress in his recovery.
Since the shooting, Big Daddy’s father, Leo Ortiz, has been the family’s main voice informing the media about the ten-time All-Star’s journey on his way to recovery from his life-threatening condition. While everyone continues to hope for the best for him, David Ortiz’s kids and family admit that the incident has helped them to become even closer and appreciate Ortiz’s life.
