Donald Trump is ready to honor New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Monday.
The greatest closer of them all is set to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.
On Monday, New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera will receive the Presidential Medal of Honor from Donald Trump.
Rivera, 49, is not only baseball’s all-time saves leader, but he’s also the first and only man to ever be unanimously voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this past summer.
Tallying 652 regular-season saves is only the tip of the iceberg with one of the great No. 42’s. His postseason production over the years boggles the mind (0.70 ERA, 0.759 WHIP and 42 saves in 141 total innings).
Rivera is extremely familiar with Trump and the White House.
In May 2018, Rivera participated in the White House Sports and Fitness Day. He was also named a co-chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.
The connection between the current president and the greatest relief pitcher of them all is something that’s obvious and ongoing.
“He was a friend of mine before he became president,” Rivera said of Trump on “Fox and Friends” in July. “So, because he’s president I will turn my back on him? No. I respect him. I respect what he does and I believe he’s doing the best for the United States of America.”
Using Twitter to his advantage, in a way Trump commonly does, the president called out Rivera’s greatness after his Hall of Fame vote came back unanimous.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1087867453684834305
Donald Trump has previously honored Tiger Woods, Bob Cousy and Jerry West. The addition of Mariano Rivera only strengthens the White House’s connection to sports in the United States of America.
