Our superstars come in all shapes and sizes. Some are also noisy and flamboyant, while others have a quiet grace about them.
New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera is one of those.
Since 1996 Rivera has been coming out of the Yankees bullpen. He was the closer when the franchise started their dominating run of four world championships in five years by upsetting the Braves that fall. And he has been closing games and winning championships ever since.
Rivera is quite frankly the best relief pitcher in the history of the game. His spot in the Hall of Fame is secure. Once he retires, he will go in on the first ballot. In baseball history, outstanding relief pitchers have come and gone. They have had brief flashes of brilliance. But no one has done it better or longer than Rivera.
And that’s not all. Rivera is a committed Christian and he has been one of the spiritual leaders in the Yankees clubhouse. As his English has improved, so has his ability to share his testimony to all who will listen. His teammates say he not only talks about his relationship with the Lord, he lives it out every day.
During the off-season he spends much of his time conducting baseball clinics with an American service agency, SCORE International.
Rivera is not flashy. He is not verbose, loud, or boastful. But, he is efficient and disciplined. He is a great role model for younger athletes to follow.
Frank Giardina
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