Rivera honors family, native Panama

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – As he reached the final stages of his induction speech, Mariano Rivera’s voice rose a few octaves and his pace grew quicker. He was in his element, delivering most of the final pitch of his speech in his native language, making himself as comfortable as he once did throwing his beloved cut-fastball.

Martinez was in a zone, feeding off the thousands of Yankees fans in attendance and the hundreds of proudly waving his native Panama’s flags among the second largest crowd to attend a Baseball Hall of Fame induction.

Even boxing champ Roberto Durán, the man Rivera declared the country’s greatest legend, had a miniature Panamanian flag attached to the back of his black hat Sunday afternoon.

“To all of the Panamanian people, all Latin American fans, this is yours,” Rivera said. “Thank you. I love you a lot in a very special way. God bless you in a great manner. Thanks for letting me grow up in that beautiful Republic.

“Thank you for Puerto Caimito, my people of Puerto Caimito, my family that I have there in Puerto Caimito. Thank you because you showed me how to live, taught me how to accept values. Thank you to my parents for raising me.”

Rivera capped the induction ceremonies, following the five other members of the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame class – Mariners legend Edgar Martinez of Puerto Rico, the late Roy Halladay, Mike Mussina, Harold Baines and Lee Smith.

Rivera, who was raised in the tiny fishing village of Puerto Caimito, spent most of his 25-minute speech acknowledging family, teammates, his agent and friends who helped him become the all-time saves leader and arguably the greatest closer in baseball history.

Before an estimated crowd of 55,000 at the Clark Sports Center, Rivera also paid tribute to his wife, parents and children. Rivera, who spent his entire 20-year career with the Yankees, made special mention of his former manager Joe Torre and teammate Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams.

He also thanked Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo, who sat near Rivera’s family next to former boxing champ Roberto Durán, the famed “Manos de Piedra” or Hands of Stone.

“Something special that I learned to do was to always represent Panama wherever I went and give my best for Panama,” Rivera said in Spanish. “Thank you to Mr. President Laurentino Cortizo, who joins me. Our legend Hands of Stone Durán, thank you, thank you.”

With each mention of Panama, his countrymen waved their flags more frantically and cheered.

True to his reputation, Rivera was seemingly committed to thanking everybody. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but only a slight one.

“That is Mariano,” President Cortizo said. “That is what makes him different. He’s a simple person, humble and spiritually strong. I’m sure that intimately with his family, that strength comes from the Lord. He’s a spiritual man.

“Independently of his great fame, he remains how he is, a simple person. That’s what makes him great. We have to learn from people like Mariano. All this, for example, all of us going into government, this is passing. This isn’t eternal. So let’s do things right. Mariano has done it well, and I feel very happy, very, very happy.”

The three greatest athletes in Panama history were all in attendance Sunday. Rod Carew, the 18-time All-Star and seven-time batting champion was on the stage with the rest of the Hall of Famers.

Carew became the first Panamanian in the Hall of Fame in 1991. Twenty-eight years later, Rivera joined him.

Durán was near the front row of the VIP section next to President Cortizo.

“For Panama this is very big,” Durán said. “Remember, Panama is small. And the fewer we are, the bigger we are. That’s why with Mariano Rivera, we’re happy he’s in the Hall of Fame. …

“Roberto Durán is also in a Hall of Fame. I’ve been in five Halls of Fame. This is more pride in Panama from the few athletes that we have in Panama. To get where we’ve gone, we have to thank God. I’m very happy that Mariano Rivera has entered the Hall of Fame.”

Rivera is the first unanimous selection to the Hall of Fame on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot. He stands alone in the category, receiving the 100 percent that even the legendary Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb couldn’t garner.

There might be some debate whether Carew, Rivera or Durán is the greatest athlete in Panama history. One thing was clear, however, from watching him turn his focus to his countrymen by speaking in his native language for more than two minutes near the end of his speech.

“He’s Panamanian,” Durán said proudly. “He’ll die a Panamanian, continues to be Panamanian. Even though he lives in the United States, he’ll always be welcomed and very beloved in Panama. Mariano Rivera, that’s how it is.

We’re all very happy that Mariano has entered the Hall of Fame, and I’m happy about that fact.”

Featured Image: Jean Fruth/La Vida Baseball