New York Yankees legendary pitcher Mariano Rivera recently made headlines by endorsing former President Donald Trump for a potential run in the upcoming election. On WABC Radio’s “Sid & Friends” with Sid Rosenberg, he said he would vote for his longtime friend in a presumptive race against President Biden.
He emphasized their connection beyond politics, saying, “President Trump, he’s my friend. I can’t deny that. I will tell that to anyone.” He continued, “Before he was the president, he was my friend. Because of that, I’m going to vote for him.”
Trump’s admiration for Rivera was shown in 2019 when he awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A Yankees fan, Trump deemed Rivera “maybe the greatest pitcher of all time.”
Mariano Rivera’s Relationship with Trump
Mariano Rivera’s connection with Trump keeps stirring headlines. Notably, their relationship was marked by a White House photo opportunity and joint participation in an America First Action PAC fundraiser alongside Donald Trump Jr. In return, Trump publicly endorsed Rivera.
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Addressing criticism over his relationships with certain pro-Israel groups, on “Fox & Friends,” Rivera said, “My savior Jesus Christ — he’s a Jew. How am I gonna turn my back and say I won’t support Israel?”
He further highlighted his Christian faith and personal friendship with Trump. He credited his faith, citing a miraculous event where prayer saved his unborn son, who was expected to die after his pregnant wife contracted chicken pox. Well, this was before answering questions about his support of Trump.
Emphasizing the depth of their pre-political friendship, Rivera said, “So, because he’s president, I will turn my back on him? No.” He’s doing the best for America.
Mariano Rivera’s Presidential Medal of Freedom Journey
“Throughout Mariano’s incredible career, he remained a humble man with a deep Christian faith. The Lord doesn’t care about wealth or fame. The Lord cares about goodness and love in our hearts,” Trump said. This prestigious honor, the nation’s highest civilian accolade, places Rivera among other great athletes, including Tiger Woods and Jerry West.
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Receiving the medal was an “amazing moment” for Rivera. The former Yankees closer spent his entire career in New York, playing 19 seasons, making 652 saves, and winning five World Series championships.
What is Mariano Rivera Most Famous for?
Contrary to popular belief, Mariano Rivera’s iconic cutter didn’t debut during the 1996 Fall Classic. In fact, it wasn’t until the following season that he produced this now-famous pitch. Despite delivering an outstanding performance in 1996, Rivera was still a work in progress. The turning point came in the 1997 season when Mariano Rivera assumed the closer role for the Yankees.
Initially, he faced challenges converting some of his early save opportunities. He was frustrated until, during a casual catch session with teammate Ramiro Mendoza, Rivera’s signature pitch—cutting—suddenly appeared.
Rivera said,” All of a sudden, the ball just started cutting. It was natural. I was gripping the ball in all kinds of ways—different ways—and the ball was doing the same thing, cutting.” Notably, this story birthed Rivera’s legendary cutter.
Post-cutting incident, Mariano Rivera was worried about his inability to control the ball’s movement. He even worked with pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, trying to “straighten it out,” according to him. Finally, Stottlemyre advised Rivera to leave it alone, and he took the advice. “I’m telling you, it’s a gift from God,” Rivera said. “That’s the only way I can explain it. It was given to me.”
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Mariano Rivera’s Pitches
A report put together by Marc Carig in 2011 showed that 85.6% of Rivera’s pitches were cutters. These pitches were so deadly, in part, because Rivera used the exact grip and arm action as he did with his four-seam fastball.
Although Rivera often attributed his cutter to divine intervention, he didn’t rely only on faith to control it. Instead, he worked hard to perfect it. However, his four-seamer and two-seamer also had deceptive movement. The deception lay in Rivera’s transition between pitches, complicating hitters with velocity, movement, and pinpoint accuracy.
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