Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits [Hardcover]

David Ortiz (Author), Tony Massarotti (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 17, 2007

Raised in the Dominican Republic, signed by the Seattle Mariners, and released by the Minnesota Twins, David Ortiz landed in baseball-crazy Boston, of all places. Generally regarded as an underachiever to that point in his career, Ortiz blossomed into one of the most feared and adored sluggers in baseball while altering the course of the game's history, helping Boston win its first World Series in eighty-six years and thereby breaking the infamous "Curse of the Bambino."

Along the way, Ortiz established his place as a truly Ruthian figure in the annals of our national pastime: an imposing figure in the batter's box, yet an endearing man to the young, particularly in his native Dominican Republic, where he has focused his charitable efforts on improving the health of children. The son of two caring parents, and a loving father of three, Ortiz is a hero to many.

Now, in his memoir, the man affectionately known as "Big Papi" recounts his life from growing up in an impoverished area of the Dominican Republic (where baseball is king) to his ascension in Boston (where he became one). Ortiz discusses, in detail, his historic and record-setting performances as a member of the Red Sox, his exploding popularity, the challenges of playing in Boston, and life in the Red Sox clubhouse.

BIG PAPI is a unique memoir by a charismatic man who appeals to young and old, on the baseball field or off.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"If you hear something bad about David Ortiz, it's a lie." So says Ortiz's former teammate Torri Hunter, summing up the general consensus on Ortiz, one of baseball's most beloved superstars. With help from Boston Herald columnist Massarotti, Ortiz tells his tale: growing up poor in the Dominican Republic, struggling through the minor leagues in an unfamiliar country and ultimately finding success as a late-inning hero for the Boston Red Sox. Alternating between Massarotti's third-person summaries and Ortiz's first-person accounts, the book paints a portrait of Ortiz as confident and driven, despite the doubt of scouts and managers. Even though he relies on clichés ("Life is unpredictable, bro") and occasionally mismanages a sentence, Ortiz's voice is charming-even glowing-throughout. Ortiz's affability makes the book a quick read, but devoid of dirt or controversy; though he does air grievances toward the Minnesota Twins, who first changed his swing before releasing him, Oritz gives Twins general manager Terry Ryan space to explain his decisions. A good book by a good guy, this will please fans, but won't reveal much they don't already know.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Big Papi brings us the life and thoughts of the greatest clutch hitter in memory.”---The Boston Globe

“The only thing more amazing than the Red Sox winning a World Series is Ortiz’s remarkable story.”---Publishers Weekly

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (April 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312366337
• ISBN-13: 978-0312366339
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,034,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits June 7, 2007

By Glenn Paul

Format:Hardcover

I have been a Red Sox and die-hard Boston sport fan since the mid 50's and have read many sports books especially on the local teams and personalities. Big Papi was a very fast reading and insightful story on major league and minor league baseball, the business and individual personal side, as well as the plight of the many foreign players bonding together in a strange land and the brotherhood that remains among them.

A completely different caring side of Pedro Martinez for his fellow countrymen was a interesting sidebar. Tony Massarotti from the Boston Herald does a excellent job in telling David Ortiz's story, a real gentle caring giant with much more than the "extraordinary ability to perform under pressure" and the leader that ended fifty years of misery for me. I wish my father and grandfathers were still alive to have enjoyed it. Thank you Papi.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book About A Great Person April 23, 2007

By Scrooge

Format:Hardcover

You cant help but love Big Papi. This book is just further proof of Papi's triumphs on and off the field. He overcame a lot to get where he is today, and this book tells you the whole story. He is a unique individual that has given back to the community ten fold. Hes a great baseball player, but he's even a better human being.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!! April 25, 2007

By Terry Gordon

Format:Hardcover

This is not one of those typical celebrity books that goes on for pages about how great the author is. This is an amazing story about a man who overcame everything to get to where he is. It's got heartbreak, humor, great baseball stories and insight into who Big Papi really is. Truly an excellent, excellent book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Big Papi is too cool July 15, 2008

By Delzuki

Format:Hardcover

This book is a combination of a narrative by David Ortiz and some background information by Tony Mazzaroti. Both aspects of the book are informative, especially the Mazzaroti part when he is explaining the rational the Twins used in releasing Ortiz. It has been mentioned in other reviews; the use of the words Bro' and Killin' get a bit weary, but it does feel as if you are having a conversation with Big Papi. The part of the book I really enjoyed is the insight as to how it is to grow up in the Dominican Republic and try to work your way through farm systems to the majors. I have always found the process of becoming an elite athlete fascinating and this book just reinforces most athletes do not "come from nowhere" and become superstars. They have to work hard, have some luck and hope for the best. It appears to have worked out for David Ortiz and he realizes just how lucky he is.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Insight into David Ortiz May 31, 2007

By drebbles TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Co-written with Tony Massarotti of the Boston Herald, "Big Papi" is the autobiography of David Ortiz, all-star slugger for the Boston Red Sox. Written as if Ortiz was talking directly to the reader, the book covers Ortiz's childhood in the Dominican Republic, his career in the minor leagues, his time with the Minnesota Twins, and of course his career with the Boston Red Sox. The book covers some of his achievements such as leading the all-star balloting, breaking Jimmie Foxx's home run record, and of course the 2004 playoffs - beating the Yankees and going on to win the World Series. While most of the book is in Ortiz's voice, there are a few chapters written by others that discuss the role Pedro Martinez had in bringing Ortiz to Boston; his friendship with Torii Hunter; and how Theo Epstein was able to bring Ortiz to play for Boston.

"Big Papi" is an interesting look at a talented baseball player. Having the book read as if Ortiz is talking directly to the reader is a nice touch (although the constant use of the word "bro" got to me after a while). The book has many fascinating aspects starting with Ortiz's childhood in the Dominican Republic when he and his friends would use anything they could as baseballs (like the heads off their sisters' dolls). One of the most fascinating aspects of Ortiz's career is that Minnesota released him after they tried to trade him and no other team wanted him. Boston came off looking good by claiming him but it's interesting to read that even they had no idea how good he could be. Other interesting bits in the book include the fact that he likes to wear a bigger uniform because he likes it to be loose and how he trains in the off-season.... To his credit Ortiz is honest about admitting his mistakes, including his five game suspension during the 2004 season for throwing bats from the dugout onto the field in protest over an umpire's call. Interestingly enough, while he says he doesn't hate the Yankees he writes far more about beating them in the 2004 playoffs than he does about winning the World Series (which barely gets a full page mention). Although he talks little about his family life for privacy reasons, the brief glimpses into his personal life are interesting. Readers will be moved as he talks about the death of his mother in a car accident. And a story of how he ended up with a line of children and parents at his house on Halloween looking for candy and pictures with him is a fascinating insight into the drawbacks of being famous.

David Ortiz fans will love "Big Papi". Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Spanish book review April 28, 2010

By Mark Richardson

Format:Hardcover

The book, Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits by Tony Massacotti. This book focuses on Big Papi and the pressures he faces being a major league baseball player. Another big deal with him is not letting his team down. Being a professional baseball player is really stressful. It is a very time-consuming job and it takes a lot out of you. Being a teammate is a big burden. He takes it very personally when he is in a slump. Likewise, he dose not want to let down his baseball -playing father. Big Papi plays a lot of roles in this book. He's a professional baseball player and a son. This book's storyline is what its like to be "Big Papi". For example, what it's like to be on the Red Sox and a ball player. One really big thing to him is how the fans view him. He loves the positive attitude from his fans and the attention.
I liked the book because I personally like Big Papi as an athlete and local personally. In addition, I found out many things about David Ortiz that I did not know. For example, the reason that Ortiz points to heaven after he hits a home run is out of respect to his beloved and departed mother, who he was very close to. Also, he is so dedicated to the sport that he even plays on the off season. Likewise, Big Papi wears a shirt that is many sizes too big just for comfort. I learned a lot from reading this book. I learned how important his team is to him and how important being on the team is to him. Another thing is I learned why his mother was so important to him because he was really close to her and she was very inspirational. The whole sport was also very important to him as were the fans too.... One of the things I learned about him that I really admire is that with all the stress and pressure on him, he still maintains a sense of humor and is a really mellow guy.
I would highly recommend this book. It was very interesting to learn ball about David Ortiz's life. If you are not into sports, I would not recommend this book because is a sports-based book. Read more ›