It’s been 13 years since Mariano Rivera and his family lived in Panama, but the country’s pride in the all-time greatest closer remains as strong as his renowned cut fastball.
That was abundantly clear on Mariano Rivera Day.
Panama president Ricardo Martinelli made the trek to The Bronx for the special afternoon celebrating the iconic reliever and the country was represented by five television stations, two radio stations and 25 media members in all. Panamanian flags dotted the upper deck of the stadium, Rivera’s countrymen showing up in droves to honor their hero.
“The whole country was watching today,” said Giants coach Roberto Kelly, a former Yankee and Panamanian product, after the Yankees fell, 2-1 on Sunday afternoon. “The things he’s done for baseball and the way he’s carried himself, everybody down there’s proud of him and I know everybody was glued to their TV watching this day.”
Martinelli traveled to Yankee Stadium several times previously. Rivera was honored to have him in attendance, but said seeing his country’s red and blue in the stands gave him a special feeling.
“I had my family and I would say hundreds of Panamanians here and that was outstanding,” said Rivera, who left Puerto Caimito, a small fishing village, in 1990 shortly after signing with the Yankees, and began the journey that would take him to the top of the baseball world.
Rivera, baseball’s all-time saves leader with 652, hasn’t forgotten his roots, often traveling back home, doing charity work through his foundation, which helps provide underprivileged children with an education, and has distributed more than $500,000 in the United States and Panama through church-based institutions. Some of the projects the foundation has funded include building a church and an elementary school and developing a computer training program.
Last July he met with the Panamanian men’s national soccer team and offered words of inspiration before the Gold Cup semifinals.
“This is very important. Mariano is very important for Panama,” Panama television announcer David Salayandia said. “Mariano is a hero in Panama.”
While baseball was big in Panama before Rivera, Kelly said, his unparalleled success has helped the sport. The country, for instance, just got a winter professional baseball league back two years ago called The Panamanian Professional Baseball League.
“He’s put Panama baseball on the map,” Kelly said. “A lot of people are thinking more about baseball in Panama. When you have the player with the caliber of Mariano from your country, it makes you proud. The things he’s done in this game are unbelievable.”