PANAMA: NEW YORK YANKEES PITCHER MARIANO RIVERA RECEIVES HERO'S WELCOME IN PANAMA CITY
Record ID:
190432
PANAMA: NEW YORK YANKEES PITCHER MARIANO RIVERA RECEIVES HERO'S WELCOME IN PANAMA CITY
- Title: PANAMA: NEW YORK YANKEES PITCHER MARIANO RIVERA RECEIVES HERO'S WELCOME IN PANAMA CITY
- Date: 1st November 1999
- Summary: PANAMA CITY, PANAMA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF NEW YORK YANKEES PITCHER, MARIANO RIVERA AND FAMILY WALKING DOWN HALLWAY 2. VARIOUS OF RIVERA AND FAMILY SURROUNDED BY MEDIA AND FANS UPON ARRIVAL AT AIRPORT 3. RIVERA STANDING ON PRESIDENTIAL BALCONY WITH PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT, MIREYA MOSCOSO 4. CLOSE UP OF PRESIDENT MOSCOSO 5. VARIOUS OF PARADE PASSING BY PRESIDENTIAL BALCONY 6. PRESIDENT MOSCOSO SIGNING BASEBALL 7. VIEW OF PARADE UNDER PRESIDENTIAL BALCONY 8. VARIOUS OF RIVERA RECEIVING MEDAL FROM PRESIDENT MOSCOSO AND SHAKING HANDS WITH PRESIDENT MOSCOSO 9. VIEW OF CEREMONY ATTENDANTS 10. [SOUNDBITE] (Spanish) NEW YORK YANKEES PITCHER, MARIANO RIVERA, SAYING: "I feel more humble than before, because I don't believe in fame, I don't believe in the famous. I believe that humility, that being humble is means a lot more than fame." 11. [SOUNDBITE] (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED RIVERA FAMILY MEMBER, SAYING: "By being here today, we see where it has pleased God to place him. But he does not forget where god took him out of and where he has placed him. The main thing is that the glory be to god." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 16th November 1999 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PANAMA CITY, PANAMA
- Country: Panama
- Reuters ID: LVAENWNZ0OFW8ZO5I7E5MYE5WAX5
- Story Text: New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera received a
hero's welcome in his hometown of Panama after an awesome
season playing for the New York Yankees who clinched
baseball's World Series last week.
Rivera was awarded the Central American nation's
highest presidential honour, during recent Independence Day
celebrations.
The hard-throwing 29 year-old relief pitcher solidified
his reputation as one of baseball's most feared relievers in
1998, when he allowed only 48 hits with 17 walks and 36
strikeouts over 61 innings.
In a formal ceremony, Panama's President Mireya Moscoso
honoured Rivera for his accomplishment as a sportsman and a
citizen of Panama.
The Yankees closer's easy, fluid windup and slender frame
belie the explosiveness of his fastball, which in the post
season alone pitched 12.1 innings without allowing one single
run.
Rivera's record won him the title of Most Valuable Player,
and ensured the Yankees a definite victory against the Atlanta
Braves in the national playoffs.
But fame has not changed Rivera's take on life.Upon his
arrival in Panama City, Rivera said he felt "even more humble
than before, because I don't believe in fame, I don't believe
in the famous," adding that he believed that "being humble
means a lot more than fame."
While most teams get a full nine innings to try to win a
game, opponents know they have to win in seven or eight
against the Yankees since scoring against Rivera in the eighth
or ninth inning has been close to impossible.
The last run scored off him in the World Series was in
Game 3 in 1996 against Atlanta.
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