Ortiz, Victorino shavings being auctioned off
BOSTON — It’s the ultimate display of Red Sox fandom: owning strands of David Ortiz’s World Series-winning beard.
The hairs that Ortiz and Shane Victorino shaved off earlier this month are being auctioned for a men’s health charity. Each “beard ball trophy” features a glass case holding a clump of whiskers and the razor used to trim them a few days after Boston clinched the championship.
The Red Sox were led to their third title in a decade by a roster full of bushy-bearded players, who grew their facial hair as team bonding. The public “shave offs” for Ortiz and Victorino raised money for victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Even some rabid Red Sox fans may recoil at the thought of a “beard ball trophy.” Others clearly consider it a collector’s item. A few hours into the eBay auction Thursday, Ortiz’s was up to $740, Victorino’s to $460. The bidding ends Nov. 30.
Proceeds will go toward combating prostate and testicular cancer. The promotion is sponsored by Gillette.