The Red Sox during yesterday's game at Fenway held a moment of silence to wish Ortiz a full recoveryGETTY IMAGES
Red Sox officials have responded to the news of David Ortiz' being shot in the Dominican Republic on Sunday with "determination to help" the franchise icon "in any way possible," according to Alex Speier of the BOSTON GLOBE. The team has "worked feverishly to ascertain information about what had transpired while also trying to formulate a plan to help." From Sunday night through Monday morning, Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy said that the team was in "constant" communication about Ortiz' situation. At 7:00pm Monday prior to Rangers-Red Sox, while Ortiz was being flown to Boston for treatment and just before the anthem, Red Sox PA announcer Henry Mahegan asked fans to "offer a moment of reflection, thought, and prayer for a complete healing and a full recovery for our beloved Big Papi." During the silence, Ortiz' number 34 was "posted on the scoreboard in left-center" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/11). The Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan noted it is a “very, very big story” in the city and that “everyone here is very concerned about the fate of Big Papi” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 6/10).
EXTENDING PAST THE SPORTS PAGES: All three network news broadcasts last night aired reports from the Dominican Republic on Ortiz. ABC’s Victor Oquendo noted the Red Sox chartered an “air ambulance" just hours after the shooting (“World News,” ABC, 6/10). CBS’ Mola Lenghi noted Ortiz is a “source of national pride” for the Dominican and “also remains popular in the U.S. after his 20 seasons” (“Evening News,” CBS, 6/10). NBC’s Lester Holt said “tears and prayers are pouring in" for Ortiz (“Nightly News,” NBC, 6/10).
