It turns out that Mariano Rivera is a pretty good closer at the podium, too.
On a perfect autumn Sunday, the Yankees paid tribute to their iconic relief pitcher with a lavish pregame ceremony that, as these things often go, featured many highlights and a few dead spots. It concluded with a flourish because the honoree, whose number 42 was retired by the Yankees, did his job with the same grace and confidence that he has exhibited in The Bronx since 1995.
“It has been a great run, guys,” Rivera told the Yankee Stadium fans in his speech. “You guys have been amazing. You always have been here for me and for the organization. I will never forget that.
“You guys will have part of my heart here in New York.”
For this Stadium appearance, Rivera took a similar route, from the outfield to the pitcher’s mound, but not identical. Instead of getting ready in the Yankees’ bullpen, he warmed up the crowd by opening the ceremony in Monument Park, where he unveiled his 42 and where the Yankees introduced a new plaque saluting Jackie Robinson, the man most synonymous with 42.
And instead of jogging in to a recording of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” Rivera walked to the accompaniment of Metallica, live, performing its 1991 hit that has become an unlikely part of the soft-spoken Rivera’s identity.
As he approached the mound, the group of dignitaries on site turned around, away from the crowd, to receive him. Rivera’s wife, Clara, and their three sons, Mariano Jr., Jafet and Jaziel, were there, escorted by Yankee captain Derek Jeter. So were Jackie Robinson’s wife, Rachel, and daughter, Sharon, escorted by Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano (who is named after Jackie).
Joining the family of the elite 42s were 11 men who helped Rivera collect his 652 saves and who also benefited from his greatness: former Yankee general manager Gene “Stick” Michael, who first promoted Rivera to the big leagues in 1995; former teammates Jeff Nelson, David Cone, John Wetteland, Hideki Matsui, Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill, Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada; former Yankee head trainer Gene Monahan; and former Yankee manager Joe Torre. It was quite a gathering of champions for Yankee fans that have enjoyed the entire Rivera run.
The Yankees presented a $100,000 check to the Mariano Rivera Foundation. They also gave him a rocking chair made of baseball bats, a framed replica of his Monument Park retired-number placard and a Waterford crystal replica of his 2013 glove. The Giants, the day’s opponents, gave him a watercolor and an electric guitar signed by Willie Mays.
Then, as usual, Rivera came in for the finish. His speech featured a few dashes of humor — he thanked his parents for “having me” — and a moment of poignancy, when he remembered late owner George Steinbrenner, whose family participated in the event.
He also thanked Jackie Robinson, his higher power and saluted the United States as “a great country,” and he addressed his many Spanish-speaking fans — many folks in the stands waved Panama flags — in his native tongue.
“It wasn’t planned at all,” Rivera said of his speech. “I’m telling you, it wasn’t planned at all. It was spontaneous.”
Fair enough. Nevertheless, Mariano Rivera Day will be remembered most of all because the star of the show once more lived up to high expectations.