Mariano Rivera was given a very gracious ceremony and gifts when he played his last game in Fenway Park and was warmly received by the fans. Red Sox fans had enormous admiration, and considerable affection for Rivera, even if he often frustrated us. He was a true sportsman and a great competitor.
Same goes for Jeter, and a number of other Yankee players, for Joe Torre, and Joe Girardi. A-Rod, not so much, though his work on Fox Sports Network has been surprisingly good. If he had admitted he messed up when he slapped the ball out of Bronson Arroyo’s glove, Red Sox fans probably would have admired him, too.
I don’t know anyone who has ever even read the Worcester Telegram, much even heard of Bill Ballou.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_1P4DEawdY
Mariano Rivera is simply the best relief pitcher in baseball history.The man was terribly good at closing! He had character and class! I would recommend reading the book "The Closer", his life story. I believe he is one of the best, if not the best closer of all time.
Disclaimer: I am a lifetime Yankee fan, which tells you what I think about FakeNews from a Massachusetts rag writer. I've had the privilege of seeing Mariano play in old Yankee stadium a few times. It was a pleasure to see this man work. If anything can be said to be 'automatic' in baseball, Mariano holding a Yankee lead is about as close as you'll get.
In my teen years had Khruschev had a baseball team I would have rooted for them against the Yanks. I have mellowed, but not much. But Mariano Rivera is a player I admire greatly. He has always acted with consummate class. And his skill cannot be denied. And while I do not agree with the author of the original piece, I think he has been misrepresented. He does not velieve in the value of closers. I agree. I am from actime when your best relief pitcher came in with second andvthird one out in the 7th up by a run and ended the injing without a run scoring . But things change and so does baseball.