David Ortiz Believes Boston Globe Sports Columnist Is a Cultural Bigot

May 11, 2013
4:34 PM

This week the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy wrote a piece questioning the fast start of Boston slugger David Ortiz. Apparently Shaughnessy thinks that Big Papi is using steroids.

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At one point Shaughnessy, who intersperses his column with replies from Ortiz, writes the following:

But you fit all the models. You are from the Dominican Republic. You are an older player. Older players don’t get better. You’ve had injuries consistent with steroid use. You showed up on the list from 2003. You fit all the formulas.

Apparently that didn’t sit well with Big Papi, who said the following after the piece was published:

“…the guy came to see me and asked some questions about steroids, and when you see the writing, it basically focuses on the fact that I’m Dominican and that many Dominicans have been caught using steroids. And what about the Americans?” Ortiz said.

“If you’re from the Middle East, because there are some people there who put bombs and terrorize civilians, I have to see you like that, as well? If you are a white American, I have to call you a racist because white Americans were in the Ku Klux Klan?

He has a point. Shaughnessy can have his questions about Ortiz, but the Dominican association was a cheap shot. Last time we checked, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens aren’t from Santo Domingo. Are there Dominicans who have gotten caught? Yes. But is it now part of a “formula?” Not even close.