Mariano Rivera likely will throw the last pitch of his Hall of Fame career on Sept. 29 in Houston, and Yankees fan Steve Melia will be there, completing a 45-day journey to see the final 42 games in the career of the greatest reliever of all time.
Melia, who attended every Yankees game during the 2011 season and wrote the book, “162 — The Almost Epic Journey of a Yankee Superfan,” was inspired to begin another odyssey and write another book following the finish of his favorite player’s Hall of Fame career, after his older brother, Jim, unexpectedly died of a heart attack on Aug. 2. Rivera was also Jim’s favorite player.
“When I was doing the 162 tour, [Jim] watched about every game on TV and lived 162 vicariously through me,” Melia said while driving from his home in North Carolina to Boston, the first stop of his 13-series tour, which began Friday. “We had a connection through the Yankees.
“To me, it sort of memorializes my brother, Jackie Robinson and Rivera. And with Mariano, I didn’t want to miss it. Every game I’m not at, I feel like I’m missing something. I’ve sort of been looking for a reason to do it.”
Melia, a 43-year-old salesman who is also a comedian, said, “This is pretty simple compared to last time.”
There are fewer flights and far fewer rainouts and make-up games to deal with, but Melia still is going to operate on a budget which consists of cheap seats and cheaper snacks. He brings water and sandwiches to each game and never pays for parking, even if it means driving far out of the way.
He said his 2011 adventure was the most fun he ever has had in his life, and even if at times it was lonely, it always was worth it when he got to each stadium. To see every one of Rivera’s final pitches, and feel like he is watching alongside his brother, there is no better way he could think of to spend 45 days.
“It’s going to be bittersweet,” Melia said. “It’s like you’re happy you’re there, but it’s going to be very sad. It’s going to be very different not to have Rivera around again.”
Horwitz bobblehead nods for good cause
To a man, players in the Mets clubhouse are amazed Jay Horwitz, the Mets vice president of media relations, is getting a bobblehead.
Horwitz, who has been with the club since 1980, has one of the biggest heads in baseball — a size 81/2. Since the announcement, he has been the butt of jokes.
“I was thrilled when I got my bobblehead,” a smiling David Wright said. “I’m a little less thrilled when I found out Jay was getting one. It kinds of waters down the honor.”
Ike Davis said the bobblehead doesn’t look anything like Jay.
“He’s got no stains on his suit and his hair is neatly combed,” Davis said.
“I know I don’t belong in this club,” Horwitz said. “I couldn’t even make my Little League All-Star team. The only reason I played was my father was the coach.”
Glad to see it hasn’t gone to his head.
The Horwitz bobblehead will be part of Social Media Night at Citi Field Friday when the Mets play host to the Tigers. A portion of the tickets will go toward the charity “Hope Shines for Shannon,” named for Shannon Forde, who has worked under Horwitz for the last 20 years and was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer last year. To purchase tickets for the event, go to
Mets.com/jaybobble.
Former Giant Collins aiding student-athletes
Mark Collins knows what it’s like to play football at the highest level, having been a part of the Giants’ 1986 and 1990 Super Bowl teams. But he also knows plenty of athletes don’t get the opportunity to fulfill those dreams because they don’t play sports in college.
That’s why Collins started 2Five Sports, a college recruiting service based in Overland Park, Kan., for one-, two- or three-star athletes looking to use sports to get a college education.
For a small fee, http://www.2FiveSports.com — certified by the NCAA — allows prospective athletes to utilize the company website to build their own profile page.
It’s not the players going to Alabama or USC that Collins is looking to help. But those fit for mid-majors, Division II, III or NAIA schools and otherwise might not be noticed.
“We’re looking for the backup catcher on the softball team,” Collins told The Post’s George Willis. “Or the backup quarterback or kids from high schools where recruiters don’t want to go.”
Collins was not heavily recruited out of a high school. He was thought to be too small and admitted his SAT score “wasn’t that great.” But he landed at Cal State-Fullerton and eventually played 13 NFL seasons with the Giants, Chiefs, Packers and Seahawks.
“I identify with people who just want to go to school,” Collins said. “Those are the kids we want to help.”
Chambliss set to fly high today
Speed fans will get to see the world’s best come to the area today, with former world champion aerobatic pilot Kirby Chambliss highlighting the final day of the Greenwood Lake Air Show in New Jersey.
The Texan is a five-time U.S. National Aerobatic and former Freestyle World Champion, and is one of just two Americans to win the Red Bull Air Race World Championship. The show schedule is from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at Greenwood Lake Airport in West Milford, N.J., with Chambliss scheduled to fly at about 3:35 p.m.