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Mariano Rivera Unanimously Elected to Hall of Fame

National Baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson announced on MLB Network that Yankees great Mariano Rivera was among four players elected today into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2019. Rivera is the first player in history to appear on every ballot cast by eligible members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

STATEMENT FROM YANKEES MANAGING GENERAL PARTNER HAL STEINBRENNER:

"Mariano was a fierce competitor and a humble champion, which has made him such a beloved baseball legend. Success and stardom never changed Mariano, and his respect for the game, the Pinstripes and for his teammates and opponents alike makes this day such a celebration of his legacy. There will be many more great and talented relief pitchers, but there will never be another like him. This is another incredible achievement for Mariano, and a day like today brings me great pride knowing he wore the Pinstripes for each and every game of his remarkable career."

STATEMENT FROM YANKEES SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN CASHMAN:

"It's humbling to think of the incredible journey that Mariano has had over the course of his life — his unassuming beginnings in a Panamanian fishing village to pitching for the Yankees under the brightest lights with the world watching. I speak for every Yankees fan when I say how fortunate we were to have had him on our side for so long. Clearly his World Series rings and longtime statistical dominance testify to his standing among the greats to ever play our sport. But no matter how big a star he became, he never failed to carry himself with unerring professionalism and class. Mo was always someone who I could point to and say, 'That's what a Yankee should be like.'"

STATEMENT FROM JORGE POSADA:

"Mariano is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime pitcher, and the greatest closer to ever play the game of baseball. There was such a humility and grace to the way he did his job — day after day and year after year. I'm so proud of everything he has accomplished, and I'm ecstatic that he and his family can celebrate this ultimate honor."

STATEMENT FROM ANDY PETTITTE:

"Mo, congrats on being a first ballot Hall of Famer. What an honor it was playing alongside of you for all those years. When I look back on my career, many of my best memories directly involve you. This is a pretty obvious statement, but I wouldn't want anyone else closing out a game that I started. I never took for granted what you provided for each and every starting pitcher in our rotation."

STATEMENT FROM BERNIE WILLIAMS:

"When it comes to Mariano, I had the best seat in the house from center field watching him pitch. It was mindboggling to see him literally just mow down hitters. Mariano would cause more broken bats in one inning than most starters had in an entire game. If we had a lead in the ninth inning — the game was over. He achieved a level of consistency for such a long time, and that is very hard to do. You just don't really see that in a reliever. That's what made him so remarkable. Everyone in the stadium knew he was going to throw that cutter – and they still couldn't hit it.

STATEMENT FROM FORMER MARINER EDGAR MARTINEZ:

"Mo is one of the greatest pitchers of all time, and he is the greatest closer of all time. It was always a challenge to face him, but I enjoyed the competition, and I like to think he did, too. It is very special for me to be able to share this day and this honor with him. Especially since, not only was he a great pitcher, but he did terrific work in his communities."

-from Yankees.com

Mo marches towards the record book.
602 and beyond...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mo marches towards the record book. 602 and beyond...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mo marches towards the record book.
602 and beyond...