As a show of respect for the greatest closer of all time, many MLB teams gave Mariano Rivera a unique retirement gift upon his last visit to their ballpark.
Rivera, 43, announced prior to the season that this would be his last year playing. His announcement gave teams plenty of time to plan what they would do to honor the legendary player. Most teams delivered with outstanding gifts.
Below is a look at all the retirement gifts Rivera received during his final MLB season. We have them grouped by division. The Yankees obviously went all out honoring Rivera. Their gifts and honors for him are listed on the final page.
On a personal note, Rivera has been one of my favorite players to watch over the years. His consistent excellence on the mound, respect for the game and overall behavior makes him a true model player and ambassador of the game.
The Tigers gave Rivera a plaque containing photos of him pitching at Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park, as well as dirt from both ballparks. Tigers manager Jim Leyland presented the gift to Rivera.
Photo: Twitter/Justin White
Cleveland, which is the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, gave Rivera a golden copy of “Enter Sandman,” which is his bullpen entrance music.
The Twins gave Rivera a “Chair of Broken Dreams.” It was perfect because it’s a rocking chair, which is a standard retirement gift, and it was made of all the broken bats Rivera caused with his devastating cutter.
Here are a few other angles of the chair:
Hey @Gambo620 did you see what the Twins gave Rivera for a going away present? Chair made of broken bats. pic.twitter.com/hvIGLJETx5
— Dave Burns (@Burns620) July 3, 2013
An up-close shot of Rivera's rocking chair from the Twins: pic.twitter.com/8E7FMbbBPB
— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) July 3, 2013
Head over to page 2 to see more of the gifts.
