After a twenty-three year career with the New York Yankees, Mariano Rivera threw his last pitch last night. Retiring at the height of popularity and respect, Rivera will be missed by teammates and fans. Just a few months from turning fourty-four, Rivera will go down as a legend for both his cut fastball and his suave demeanor.
Rivera’s Career
Starting his illustrious career in professional baseball in 1990, at the tender age of 20, Rivera signed with the New York Yankees and went for spring training in Tampa. He signed on for $3,000. The son of a fisherman from Panama, Rivera is a self-made baseball legend. In 1995, after a stunning performance in the American League Division Series, Yankees management decided to move Rivera into the bullpen and that is when he began making history.
On Sunday, the Yankees had an official ceremony to retire Rivera’s number, 42. Metallica showed up to play Rivera’s signiture song, Enter Sandman. Jackie Robinson’s widow and daughter showed up for the ceremony, fittingly, as the number 42 also belonged to Jackie Robinson. The decision to retire the number 42 was made in 1997, but players that still had the number could keep it. Rivera will be the last to wear the number in major league baseball.
Rivera was pulled from the game in the ninth inning by teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte. Rivera cried when they reached the mound. “I was bombarded with emotions and feeling that I couldn’t describe,” Rivera said. “Everything hit at that time. I knew that was the last time. Period. I never felt like that before.”
