David Ortiz Sends Message To Boston During Coronavirus Fight: 'We Are The City Of Champions'

BOSTON (CBS) -- David Ortiz became a legend for coming through in the clutch. Now, as the city does its best to fight the coronavirus pandemic, he's asking Bostonians to do the same.

"I've been talking to Mayor [Marty] Walsh, who basically is telling me that people in Boston are getting close to the plate, and coming clutch, coming through. Clutch, you know? That's how we do it," Ortiz said in a video shared by Walsh on Twitter. "We are the city of champions, Boston. We are the city of champions. We have been down before, and we know how to bounce back up. Because this is our city, and we gotta stay strong so we can go back and do the things that we love doing."

Ortiz, who recovered at Mass General Hospital last year after he was shot in his native Dominican Republic, expressed his appreciation to everyone in the city working hard in the daily fight.

"There's a lot of people working hard over there -- first responders, lot of people working hard to get the city going. People at the hospital handing out food, nurses, doctors. So many different ways people are helping," Ortiz said. "Those are heroes."

Ortiz established his own baseball legend by delivering 23 walk-off hits during his career, 20 of which came during his tenure with the Red Sox. Though he did not tiptoe into the territory of FCC fines with this new message, he's now trying to bring the same level of positivity and hope to this much greater battle.

"Stay together and continue fighting. We're gonna get through this. We're gonna get through this. I know we're gonna get through this," Ortiz said. "God bless you, Boston."

In:
• MLB
• David Ortiz
• Boston
• Coronavirus
• Boston Red Sox
• Marty Walsh