Mariano Rivera highlights

Some quick fun facts about the famous NY Yankees closer:

• Born and raised in Panama, he played baseball with improvised bats, gloves and baseball bats
• In 1988 (when he was 19), he played shortstop for a local amateur baseball team.  Was scouted by the Yankees but passed over.
• A year later, his team had such bad pitching that Rivera offered to pitch instead and had an impressive delivery
• A different Yankee scout saw him pitching and ended up bringing him to a tryout camp, where he dazzled as a "raw talent".  He was signed as an amateur free agent for $3000 USD and weighed only 155 pounds at the time.
• In his first minor league season where he pitched relief, he gave up only one earned run in 52 innings pitched (0.17 ERA)
• Rivera's team allowed him to start the final game to make him eligible for a season ERA award and he pitched a seven-inning no-hitter
• Improved his pitch velocity from 89 to 95-96 mph in 1995, which Rivera attributed to God
• Wears uniform #42, one of the last few players with it after the MLB retired it in honor of Jackie Robinson
• "Enter Sandman" was not picked by Rivera for his entrance music, and he was initially indifferent
• During his final All-Star Game in 2013, he was elected MVP despite only recording three outs, and was the first reliever to ever receive the award
• Lowest career Postseason ERA (min 30 IP): 0.70
• Lowest career ERA in Division Series history: 0.32
• Most consecutive scoreless innings pitched: 33.33