Cadence13 and The Players' Tribune launch David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story

New York NY, USA—Cadence13 and The Players’ Tribune today announced a new documentary podcast series, David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story, which will premiere on Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 16. This special series is the most comprehensive chronicle to date of the life of Red Sox icon and three-time World Series champion David Ortiz. The full series, which consists of four singular episodes, will be available across multiple platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, iHeart, Stitcher, TuneIn and more.

In addition to Ortiz’s successful playing career, the series will examine pivotal moments in his life off the field, from his difficult assimilation into American culture, to the sudden and tragic loss of his mother, to the raw emotion he shared with Hub fans following the tragic Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.

“Let’s just set the record straight. Papi is the greatest clutch player in MLB postseason history. But, this is a person who means so much more to the city of Boston and the Dominican Republic,” said Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer of Cadence13. “ In this project, we were able to capture and showcase not only the Mount Rushmore level Red Sox status of this once-in-a-generation player, but also his journey, what he meant to his hometown and the city of Boston, the tragedy of the marathon and how Papi become everybody’s hero throughout it all. We are incredibly proud to have been able to produce this project at C13, and to be able to work so closely with David and TPT so that it came out the way it did.”

“Ortiz’s personal journey is nothing short of remarkable — he defied the odds to become a legend, and made a lasting imprint on baseball and the entire city of Boston,” says Jaymee Messler, President of TPT. “The Big Papi Story brings his story to life in vivid detail. It’s a perfect representation of what we do at TPT: Tell the incredible stories of our favorite athletes in a variety of different formats. Ortiz has been a part of the TPT athlete community since the company launched, and we are excited to partner with him on this project.”

Production of the series spanned 10 months, with footage being recorded in 10 cities in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, where Ortiz visited his hometown of Santo Domingo. The show includes 22 interviews with his former teammates, award-winning journalists and members of the Ortiz family, including a rare interview with Ortiz’s father, Leo Ortiz. And, of course, David himself will share untold stories and anecdotes that answer the question, How did Big Papi become a legend?

Among the names interviewed for David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story include:

• ESPN senior writer and author Howard Bryant
• Comedian Bill Burr
• Former Red Sox teammate, two-time All-Star and two-time World Series Champion Johnny Damon
• Pulitzer Prize-winning author and MIT professor Junot Diaz
• Hall of Fame baseball writer and MLB Network insider Peter Gammons
• Leo Ortiz, David Ortiz’s father
• Tiffany Ortiz, David Ortiz’s wife
• Former Red Sox teammate, World Series champion and eight-time All- Star pitcher Pedro Martínez
• Former Red Sox teammate, World Series champion and current MLB Network analyst Kevin Millar

David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story captures the spirit of Boston, a city with no shortage of sports icons, and celebrates the rise of a man from the Dominican Republic who willed himself to greatness — and who, in the process, changed the culture of an entire city.