Mo was pretty cute all those years ago when nobody had any idea he would become The Best Closer Ever. And now, at 7am Pacific Time on Saturday, he’ll say Adios at the end of this season. I’m sure there will be endless replays, but I’ll be getting up early to watch this press conference and I’ll have my Kleenex handy.
Sure, we all knew he’d call it a career this time, but it’ll still be tough to hear him say the words. I just hope it’s a great last season for him. I can’t really imagine how I’ll feel when he comes in to pitch that final game at the Stadium. As everyone knows, he’s my favorite player so I’ll probably be traumatized. But for now, I’m going to enjoy every glimpse of him.
Tags: Mariano Rivera, retirement, Yankees
He was adorable, Jane, but then he still is. A wonderful person as well as a wonderful pitcher. You never hear a bad story about him. He will be missed. Boy, everybody is going to want to be at the last home game at Yankee Stadium just in case it is his last game. But let’s hope that if 2013 is his last season that the team pulls it together and gives him one last ring. GO YANKEES!!!
Mo is the only player who I ever got to sign a ball who said thank you to me!
A truly wonderful human being.
So adorable, Diane. His oldest son looks just like he did in the pic. I was thinking about his last game too and hoping that given the question marks around the team this year if he’ll have that many opportunities to close games. Let’s hope.
Truly, John. How lucky are we that we’ve had all these many years to enjoy him.
My prized possession is the ball he tossed me during batting practice before Game 4 of the 2009 World Series in Philly. He’s a gentleman in every sense of the word, and this will be a bittersweet season.
I remember that ball he tossed to you, Ladyjane! I was so excited for you (and jealous, naturally).
Hi Jane & Fellow Baseball Fans…
Another little story ..this time about Mo. My daughter’s Godmother was on an early morning flight to Cleveland. As it was a business trip she was in first class. Across the row from her was a well-dressed gentleman who everyone seemed to be paying attention. Aunt Kathy is not a sports fan and had no clue who he was and why people were crowding around him as they departed the plane. So she inquired as to who he was and why the big fuss. She was told it was Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees. Aunt Kathy is not the type to ask for autographs but she knew my daughter loves the Yankees so once the crowd dispersed she started trotting down the hallway after Mo. She stopped him and asked if he would he be kind enough to sign the only thing she had at the time ..her plane ticket …for her niece who loves the the team. He gave a big smile, said certainly, signed the ticket and said he hopes she becomes a future fan along with her niece. She said that he was so nice to everyone signing and taking pictures with anyone who asked. He was on the way to meet the team. It was all luck that she was able to fly with the great Mo. I would have been in seventh heaven if it were me. Needless to say, my daughter was thrilled and her Godmother scored big brownie points with that autograph. I have never heard a bad word about Mo and I doubt I ever will. Not just a great ballplayer but an even better person. That’s our Sandman…
Have a great weekend all …
Go Yankees 2013 !!!
I wouldn’t be able to contain myself if I flew on the same plane – in the same first class cabin – as Mo, Peggy. I’d probably jump up and make a fool of myself!
I hope Mo has a great final year.
I was devastated when his knee blew out last year. I didn’t want that to be his last time on a baseball field.
I hope his career ends by him getting the save in game 7 of this year’s World Series! He’s a great player and an even better person and deserves to go out on top.
How many great athletes get to go out winning the whole thing? Not many. In football, Bronko Nagurski, John Elway, Jerome Bettis and Michael Strahan — and, if you want to include this man of questionable character, Ray Lewis. In basketball, George Mikan and Bill Russell — Michael Jordan could have been one, but he ruined it. In hockey, Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, Yvan Cournoyer, and (groan, I’m a Devils fan) Ray Bourque.
Baseball? Joe DiMaggio. That’s it. Sort of, Tim McCarver. Very nearly Willie Mays and Roger Maris. Very nearly in another way (Yankee management cruelly forced him out before the World Series), Phil Rizzuto. Ted Williams hit a home run in his last at-bat, but that’s hardly the same thing.
It would be a beautiful thing if the last pitch of the 2013 season was a strikeout, from Mariano Rivera to a young catcher no one yet considers to be a coming major factor. “Throwing heat” becomes a “passing of the torch.”
He does deserve to go out on top, Sean.
And a strikeout would be very apropos, Uncle Mike – a swing and miss strikeout – although it would be fun to see him break his last bat too.