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David Ortiz Surprises Veterans With Tickets To World Series Game 1

BOSTON (CBS) -- A trio of military heroes will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience Tuesday night thanks to Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.

Tom Pittman (who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan), Doug Whalen (two tours in Iraq), Molly Alesch (an active servicewoman in the Massachusetts National Guard) and their families all arrived at Fenway Park recently, but weren't given many details about their trip. They didn't know Ortiz would be their tour guide, and they were even more surprised when he offered up a game of catch.

That in itself would have been a day to remember, but it wasn't done yet.

When they thought their special day was over, Ortiz surprised them with tickets to Game 1 of the 2014 World Series.

"You guys are defenders, the reason why we are who we are," Ortiz told the three, later adding, "Whenever I see my kids and family running around the back yard, it's because of them."

The trio will be honored during the seventh inning stretch at Kauffmann Stadium on Tuesday when the Royals open up the Fall Classic against the San Francisco Giants. It is all part of a partnership between Bank of America, the Red Sox Foundation and the Massachusetts General Home Base Program, whose goal is to surprise military veterans with a "once in a lifetime experience."

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