On a hot Tuesday morning at JFK’s Terminal 4, New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera was honored with his own special gate.
Ahead of his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera joined Delta Air Lines for a ceremonial gate dedication of Gate 42. Delta honored Rivera by renaming Gate 42 “The Mariano Rivera Gate” and by dedicating a 757 aircraft in his honor.
The aircraft now includes his iconic number 42 and his Hall of Fame inscription.
Rivera is the last major league player to wear No. 42 for 162 games (plus the postseason). A 13-time All-Star, five-time World Series champion and the game’s all-time saves leader, he is widely considered the greatest closer of all-time. Rivera was the first player to be unanimously selected to the baseball Hall of Fame.
He will be inducted into Cooperstown on July 21.
“Mo.” as he was affectionately known as, is one of the most liked and respected people in baseball. With a cutter that made the best hitters look like they were playing the wrong sport, Mo is one of the most beloved Yankees of all time.
The son of a fisherman from Panama, Rivera is the poster-child rags-to-riches story. Rivera started off as a shortstop in his hometown, switched over to the mound, and finally settle into the bullpen.
After nearly two decades of shattering bats, Mariano Rivera is prepared to take his place in baseball immortality.
Mariano Rivera reflects on his path to Cooperstown during gate renaming ceremony at JFK: https://t.co/xchbFx4mby @OConnellNY pic.twitter.com/yhjZEbOIq1
— NY Daily News Sports (@NYDNSports) July 16, 2019
There were many players who have been near-unanimous pertaining to Hall of Fame voting, but none received 100 percent of the vote. Some were thought as not being good enough to be unanimous, some were not beloved by the populace, some weren’t clutch.
Mo had it all.
A known philanthropist, as clutch as they come, and as great a teammate as one can possibly be, Mariano Rivera definitely deserved to be the first unanimous Hall of Famer.
