By Kevin Coughlin
The Seeing Eye has named a big puppy for Big Papi.
While the rest of us can argue over which .500 New York team is better, Seeing Eye® dog owner Mary Manwaring has shown her true colors…and they are red.
She has named a yellow Labrador/golden retriever puppy Ortiz. As in, David Ortiz, the Boston Red Sox slugger who will retire after mauling American League pitching one last time this season.
“You have been an inspiration, guide and mentor to many players, and so it seemed fitting for me to name a Seeing Eye dog Ortiz in your honor,” Manwaring, a staff member at the national nonprofit in Morris Township, NJ, wrote in a letter to the designated hitter.
“This is the first time The Seeing Eye has had a guide dog with this name.”
Ortiz–the man, not the canine–was batting .316 with 25 homers and 82 RBI as of Tuesday. It’s his 20th and final season in the big leagues.
Ortiz–the canine, not the man–still has his career ahead of him. It will take about two years for the pooch to complete its formal training to become a guide dog for the blind.
The Seeing Eye, established in 1929, says that the ballplayer will receive updates on the dog’s progress. As for Little Papi, well, he’ll just have to follow the box scores lining his cage for updates on his namesake.
