“Winning [in Boston], we put so many smiles on people’s faces, and it changed the whole city. It really did,” David Ortiz said, grinning in classic Big Papi style.
Those words capture the Red Sox legend’s most vivid memories of winning the 2004 World Series, which finally ended the Red Sox’s 86-year drought.
But those memories are only a fraction of Ortiz’s accomplishments in a career defined by championships and clutch performances. On January 22, 2026, Ortiz visited New Hampshire at The Brook Casino in Seabrook for a DraftKings event in collaboration with the NH State Lottery.
As a three-time World Series Champion, 2013 season MVP, and Hall of Famer, Ortiz, better known as Big Papi, has been a pillar of New England pride since joining the Red Sox in 2003 until his retirement in 2016.
In a 10-minute-long interview, Ortiz took the time to discuss career experiences, expectations, and mindset with warmth and insight. His easy laugh and radiant smile made serious topics feel lively, revealing an athlete whose character is defined by discipline, humility, and humor; qualities that have shaped his legacy both on and off the field.
When asked about handling the immense pressure while playing at the highest level, Ortiz said, “A lot of people always ask me that question about the pressure thing, right? When it comes down to playing in front of all of you [the fans], I don’t even know how to describe it, but I never paid attention to the pressure. I was paying more attention to the guy on the mound and trying to get things done.”
That focus wasn’t something Ortiz developed overnight; it was heavily rooted in his upbringing in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Ortiz described how he grew up in a “baseball town like New England,” and that there was always an expectation of him to do well.
“There’s no time for failure, you know? In a good way. You deal with a lot of pressure when it comes down to it. So you get really well prepared to be able to perform at the highest level,” said Ortiz.
Ortiz credited this mindset for his pivotal role in the Red Sox’s success. Reflecting on the 2004 World Series that ended the “Curse of Bambino,” he recalled the heartbreak of losing to the Yankees in 2003. “It was very devastating,” he said. But rather than define the team, the loss fueled them.
He previously reflected on this in an NBC Sports Article from 2022, “What the Yankees did to us in 2003, we then did the same, but four times better in 2004. That’s all I can say about it…it was so dramatic.”
As the interview continued with Ortiz, he shared, “I went back home and got extremely prepared for the following season. It was worth all the time and effort, because I knew I had to win for the fans. I talked to myself, and I was like, I gotta be ready for this town.”
Even 20 years later, the 2004 championship remains unforgettable. A moment that marked a new era in New England Sports.
Chadd Finn from the Boston Globe recalled in a 2024 article, “It does not require a milestone anniversary such as this one to bring this team happily to mind. It still astounds me, in the most joyous kind of way, that Ortiz, Big Papi, came through in all of the ways, over and over again, that so many true greats before him could not.”
Today, Ortiz emphasized the 2004 championship’s impact. “It changed everything around here, and we were just building up a dynasty, winning again a couple of years later, and then again.” He even celebrated seeing the next generation continue that legacy in the 2018 World Series against the L.A. Dodgers.
“The past two decades have been the best decades of sports, without a doubt, in New England, coming from the Red Sox, the Patriots, the Celtics, and the Bruins. We were competing for championships, Ortiz said while reflecting on New England Sports as a whole.
For example, Ortiz mentioned attending a recent dinner with Tom Brady, former New England Patriots quarterback, because they both work on the Fox Sports Network, and they connected on a mutual understanding about the New England fanbase and how much pride it holds in its sports.
While few regions can claim multiple dynasties, the pride Ortiz described mirrors something familiar at a smaller scale. Portsmouth High School and the extended community share a similar sense of pride in their athletic programs.
From alpine skiing to lacrosse to wrestling, Portsmouth has won its own championships and titles throughout the years. Ortiz’s advice for all students and children in general who want to continue to pursue sports at a higher level is discipline.
“Discipline is like an umbrella that has so many things underneath. You have to be totally dedicated to your body, you need to have a healthy mind, because believe it or not, you can be going physically in 70%, but you can never go in 70% mentally. You’ve got to be 110%,” Ortiz said.
He continued to explain that dedicating your mind to the sport is the first step toward improving and playing at the highest level. With that, he added that your body also needs to be ready to get the signals from your brain, and that’s when everything begins to come together.
“I wasn’t a fine-tuned player, but my mindset was a criminal kind of mindset… Nobody can dictate what I want to do, nobody can dictate how far I can go. It was on me,” explained Ortiz.
Ortiz’s legacy in New England is built on preparation, discipline, and unwavering belief in himself and the city he represented. For the students of PHS and beyond, his message is simple, but powerful: discipline and education are key to greatness.
“I always tell young people like you, try to educate yourself because the moment you educate yourself, the more you can learn. And what you learn, you never forget,” said Ortiz. “That’s my biggest thing: healthy mind, healthy body, and then you go.”
