All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday, and David Ortiz made sure to have slightly fun with him just before he was about to offer his speech to the baseball world.
It’s somewhat well-known over the course of his 21-year major league profession that Beltre hates having his head rubbed, and it became a running joke amongst his teammates after they tried.
He revealed the genesis of the gag back in 2019 during an interview with Fox Sports.
“I made the error to inform Félix Hernández that I didn’t like that,” Beltre said on the time, in response to Awful Announcing. That was not idea to do this. He at all times desired to do it because he knew I’d get mad. Once I left Seattle and went to Boston, he told the opposite guys to do this because I don’t prefer it. Then I got here here, and Elvis (Andrus) took charge and commenced doing it. It became a curse that has never left.”
Naturally, that meant Ortiz needed to have slightly fun with Beltre just after he walked onto the stage to offer his speech.
Ortiz walked out quietly behind Beltre and as he looked down at his notes and laughed, Ortiz quickly rubbed his head and startled the infielder.
Once Beltre realized who was accountable for the surprise, he erupted into laughter as Ortiz made his way into the gallery to sit down and watch.
“That never relaxed me,” Beltre told MLB.com after the speech. “But OK, it was slightly cute to return to my days after I was playing. It was like teeing off, solution to go on the market and prepare for the speech. It’s just a part of being on this fraternity, you call it, of players.
“Although I don’t like it, I don’t prefer it, but I feel like I’m open to people to have the option to mess around with me. Big Papi and I, we go way back before we even signed a contract.”
