"I have photos of him in my house hanging all over the place" - Throwback to David Ortiz sharing his love for Derek Jeter, calling Yankees legend the face of the MLB

Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz once revealed his love for Derek Jeter on an episode of the 'Late Show with Stephen Colbert.'

Ortiz appeared on the show in 2013 talking about how Jeter was a very 'special' figure to him in his career. He said:

"That guy. He's so special that I have photos of him in my house just hanging all over the place. Jeter, he's Hollywood. He's the kind of guy that anybody admires. I mean, Jeter ... he was the face of MLB. He still is the face of MLB. He's that kind of guy."

Derek Jeter and David Ortiz were long-time rivals with the NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox

Jeter was inducted into the Cooperstown Hall of Fame in 2020. 'Big Papi' followed suit in July 2022. The rivalry between the two teams has intensified over the years, ever since Babe Ruth's infamous switch to the Yankees. But, Ortiz and Jeter were both crucial figures during their prime years in the MLB.

Derek Jeter stayed with the Yankees throughout his glorious career, while Ortiz joined the Red Sox in 2003, after leaving the Minnesota Twins. In his career against the Yankees, Ortiz has played 243 games, with 894 official innings, 53 homers and a .303 batting average.

Derek Jeter was "very disappointed" after missing out on David Ortiz's Cooperstone Hall of Fame induction in July

2022 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Ortiz made his MLB debut in 1997. The 10-time All-Star won three World Series and spent 14 of his 20 MLB seasons with Boston. However, his longtime rival Derek Jeter was unable to attend the event due to a health emergency in his family.

Jeter, however, congratulated Ortiz on Twitter with a heartfelt message after receiving the huge honor. He said:

"We’ve spent a lot of time together on the field between New York, Boston and numerous All-Star Games... Glad to add Cooperstown to that list."

The Dominican's record of 541 home runs, 632 doubles and 1,768 RBIs are all-time highs among designated hitters. Furthermore, Ortiz was also just the second player to win the League Championship Most Valuable Player Award after legend Marty Barrett. He eventually retired after the 2016 season, ending a glittering career as one of the best hitters in the history of the MLB.