David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez Headline Red Sox Hall Of Fame Class Of 2020
BOSTON (CBS) -- There is some serious star power heading into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2020. Five new members will be enshrined next year, headlined by David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.
Along with Ortiz and Ramirez, who terrified opposing pitchers in the heart of the Boston lineup from 2003-2008, the Red Sox will also enshrine Rich Gedman, the late Bill Dinneen and Dan Duquette in 2020.
"Big Papi" is already prominently featured around Fenway Park, with his No. 34 hanging up in right field with the other retired numbers since 2017. Ortiz won three World Series titles in his 14 seasons in Boston, and is known as the greatest clutch hitter in franchise history thanks to his on-field heroics throughout his career. Ortiz is the franchise's leader in regular season walk-off home runs with 10 and game-ending RBIs with 17. He won Games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees with walk-off hits, and in 2013 he mashed a pivotal game-tying grand slam in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers.
In his 14 seasons with the Red Sox, Ortiz clubbed 483 home runs while batting .290 with a .956 OPS, 1,530 RBIs, and 2,079 hits.
Ramirez spent eight seasons in Boston and earned All-Star nods in each of them. He helped lead the team to a pair of World Series titles, earning MVP honors in 2004. In 1,083 games with the Red Sox, Ramirez batted .312 with a .999 OPS, 274 home runs, and 868 RBIs.
Gedman played for the Red Sox from 1980-1990, earning back-to-back All-Star nods in 1985 and 1986. A Worcester native, Gedman has spent the past nine seasons as a hitting coach in the Red Sox minor league system (2011-19), including the last five with Triple-A Pawtucket.
Dinneen pitched for Boston from 1901-1907, and helped lead the club to their first modern World Series championship in 1903, earning three victories in Boston's series win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
While Duquette was not the general manager when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, his fingerprints were all over the roster. Duquette was the man who signed Ramirez and Johnny Damon in free agency, and acquired other key contributors in Pedro Martinez, Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe during his eight seasons as the team's GM.
In addition to the five new inductees, Boston's World Series-clinching Game 4 win over the Cardinals in 2004 will be enshrined as this year's "Memorable Red Sox Moment."
The Class of 2020 will be honored at a Red Sox Foundation gala on April 30.