Obama Welcomes World Series Champion Red Sox

President Obama welcomed the World Series champion Red Sox to the White House Tuesday, praising their triumph on the field last fall while hailing them as a symbol of their city's determined response to the bombing at last year's Boston Marathon.

Obama said he's grateful for the role the team played in helping heal the city after the terror attack. He said sometimes sports seems trivial, but it can bring people together like almost nothing else.

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz at one point took a selfie of himself and the president as a keepsake.

Flanked by the players and team officials, Obama noted the Red Sox have the winningest championship record in baseball over the past decade.

Last year's title was the team's third in a decade.

What an honor! Thanks for the #selfie, @BarackObama pic.twitter.com/y5Ww74sEID— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) April 1, 2014