THE MARIANO RIVERA FOUNDATION
Source: Foundation’s website and other internet articles
Every batter knew what was coming when they faced Mariano Rivera, it was perhaps the best cut fastball ever delivered by a big leaguer, and they still could not hit it!
Mariano was raised in the Panamanian fishing village of Puerto Caimito – about 15 miles from Panama City – and began his baseball journey playing with cardboard gloves and tree-branch bats. A live arm and an athletic body brought him to the attention of the New York Yankees, with whom he signed as an international free agent for $3,000 on Feb. 17, 1990.
After some success in the minors with a fastball that began touching the high 90s, Rivera debuted in the majors in 1995 as a starter. But soon, Yankees manager Buck Showalter made a push to make Rivera a reliever.
The next season, Rivera became a dominant set-up man for closer John Wetteland, striking out 130 in 107.2 innings to help lead New York to the World Series title. Though he posted only eight wins and five saves, he finished third in that year’s American League Cy Young Award vote.
Rivera became the team’s closer in 1997. That season, Rivera posted the first of 15 straight years with at least 28 saves. In 11 of those seasons, his ERA was under 2.00.
The Yankees won five World Series titles during his 19-season career, advancing to the postseason 17 times. His accomplishments are many, and include: MLB All-Time Saves Leader with 652, 5-time World Series Champion, 1999 World Series MVP, 13-time MLB All-Star, and being a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
His #42 was retired by the New York Yankees and a plaque was dedicated in his honor in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. In 2019, Rivera became the first unanimous inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
Mariano is a follower of Christ and now, his Biggest Save 653 is his Mariano Rivera Foundation!
The Mariano Rivera Foundation is dedicated to creating a reality where each child is afforded an opportunity to see beyond their circumstances, and discover new ways to confidently create a better life.
In the United States, more than one in five children are living in poverty. The effects of poverty on children can cause a wide range of challenges for both children and their families. There are particularly negative outcomes related to educational attainment and income earned. Children who grow up impoverished complete fewer years of schooling and earn much lower incomes than those who did not grow up poor. Thirty percent of children raised in poverty do not finish high school. This inequity is even most pronounced among children of color as both Black and Hispanic students graduate high school at lower rates than the national average. Even more pronounced are the racial gaps in college graduation. Only 51.5% of Black and Hispanic students graduate college after six years, while the figure for white students stands at nearly 70%.
To respond to these inequities, the foundation has developed programs to address a clear need by equipping the students we serve with the skills and tools they need to be successful.
At the core of their work is ensuring access to educational resources and skills training for students. Mentorship programs, life skills training, and sports activities provided by the Mariano Rivera Foundation help to shape well-rounded life-long learners.
Through the Mariano & Clara Rivera Scholarship, they open doors for students to reach their goals. The scholarship is designed to provide driven, socioeconomically disadvantaged students with an opportunity to pursue academic success.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FOUNDATION OR BECOME A SPONSOR OR DONOR, GO HERE: https://themarianoriverafoundation.org/653/
