Gate 34 at Boston's Logan Airport to be named after Big Papi
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BOSTON (AP) Red Sox fans will soon have another memory of recently-retired slugger David Ortiz when traveling out of Boston's Logan Airport.
An employee of JetBlue Airlines announced to Big Papi and a crowd that the airline was naming Gate 34 in Terminal C after him during a private party to honor the star at a restaurant in Boston's Seaport District on Friday night.
''You mean I'm going to have my own gate at the airport?'' Ortiz said, holding a microphone on the stage. ''You're (messing) with me, aren't you?''
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The event was sponsored by JetBlue, MasterCard, Bank of America and Dunkin Donuts and was billed as ''an evening dedicated to honoring David Ortiz.''
The 40-year-old slugger retired after his 20th season in the majors when Boston was swept in the ALDS by Cleveland last month.
He went out with a solid regular season, hitting .315 with 38 homers and 127 RBIs in his 14th and final with the Red Sox.
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Boston picked up his option on Thursday as a formality.