David Ortiz's final Spring Training ended with a custom golf cart driven by Luis Tiant and Jim Rice
When David Ortiz announced that 2016 would be his final season, the baseball world emotionally prepared itself for a series of "lasts" -- his last hit, his last homer, his last game at Fenway Park. Sadly, Monday's Orioles-Red Sox game marked the first of those milestones: When he was removed from the lineup after his at-bat in the sixth inning, Ortiz had officially played in his final Spring Training game. The crowd at JetBlue Park responded accordingly:
Luckily, though, the Red Sox hatched an idea to put a smile on our faces during this most difficult time. Saying goodbye is hard, but saying goodbye while riding off on a custom golf cart driven by two all-time greats is at least a little easier:
Yes, that's Luis Tiant and Jim Rice in the front seat, and yes, that's the flag of Ortiz's native Dominican Republic emblazoned on the roof. Here, have a closer look:
The wonder that is @davidortiz's new golf cart: https://t.co/QmHzrRLOr0 pic.twitter.com/fADLcBvWoz
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 28, 2016
Alright, rest of MLB, we now expect at least one personalized vehicle at every stop on the David Ortiz Farewell Tour. A nation demands it.