 Hello, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Yes, We're Here, I'm Jack Curry, and we've got an exciting guest for you today, and you know this gentleman very well, he's the greatest closer of all time, he's the only player in the history of Major League Baseball to be voted into the Hall of Fame unanimously, and he was one of my all-time favorite interviews as a reporter. Mariano Rivera joins us today, and Mariano, how are you doing, how's your family doing? Jack, thank you buddy, we are doing excellent, I mean, other than staying in the house and sitting and, you know, we've been in every toilet, we've been in every bedroom in this room, every chair in this room, and although we have a good-sized house, I mean, it's still man, it's crazy, but it's good, you know what I mean, because Jack, we have a chance to share with your family, talk with your family, I mean, enjoy your family, and doing that, I think that we're also saving life, so that's great, everything's good, Jack, everything's good. I'm happy to hear that, and the saving lives part that you mentioned, that's obviously vital, stay home, stay safe. Now, you were born in Panama, we all know that, but your adopted homeland, so to speak, or your second home is NeuroShell, and Mariano, in March, NeuroShell received national attention because a cluster of people with the coronavirus, how scary was that for you, your family, and all of your friends that you have in NeuroShell, and how have people come through that? Well, Jack, that was a tough month, and news when we hear about that. It was devastating because that's basically our home, and knowing that the time we got infected with that coronavirus, it was hard, Jack, you know, we had to bring confidence, and people start wondering, and we had to bring peace in the middle of tough times. Mariano, you did something recently that I think we all should do, and I don't think it could happen enough. You sent a message to White Plains Hospital thanking the doctors, the nurses, the first responders, everyone in the medical community who has helped people and who has been on the front lines, what inspired you to want to do that message? Jack, I remember where 2011 happened. I mean, 201, yeah, and September 11 happened, and it was a hard time for New York, and we just been there, we did something, just our presence being there, and our game, you know, thank God we had the game, and we're continuing, and we can bring some joy, or peace, or times of reflection in situations like that. Now, and this time, our heroes are doctors, nurses, medical staff, EMS, firefighters, police, law enforcement, those are our heroes, but most of all, most of all, is doctors, nurses, and all medical staff, you know, they're living their families, you know, to come and put their lives in danger, to keep us safe, to do the best they can do, and these people don't give up. Those are the real heroes. That's why it's inspiring me, normally white planes, but all the hospitals, they have been doing the same thing that the white plane hospital doing, the Columbia hospital doing, the hospitals all over the world doing, and for that, you know, we have friends, you know, I have medicals, I mean, doctors, friends, you know, all the doctors from the New York Yankees, you know, in the Presbyterian hospital, they all take care of us, you know, the people that really care about us, those are the real heroes, and that's why I decide to do those chats and thank them, because I mean, if, think about this, if they don't put their life in danger, I mean, they know it's a matter of their life or death, you know, and if they don't do that, who would do it? Yeah, where will be? So, I mean, that's why it's inspiring me, Jack, to do that. I love how passionately you speak about calling those folks the heroes, because they truly are the heroes in this situation, and I think we all recognize that, and I hope that message that you just offered up resonates with people, and we throw that word hero around a lot, Mariano, I'm going to make a little bit of a transition here to another hero, because it applies to you. April 15th was Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball, and normally everyone would have number 42 on. Now, granted, there were no games that day, but Major League Baseball still celebrated his memory and his legacy. You were the last player who wore number 42 as a major leaguer. How meaningful was that for you to have that connection with Jackie? Jack, to me, Mr. Jackie, I have to go a little bit back, so I hope we have time. We have time. Keep going, Mariano, I'm loving it. I wanted people to understand, and because when I got number 42 at the beginning, I didn't know much about it. Matter of fact, I didn't know anything about Jackie Robinson. Matter of fact, someone asked me about Jackie Robinson, and I said, who's Jackie Robinson? That's how naive I was when he came to the game, because I just love to play the game of baseball. I didn't care about the dictates or things that happen. No, I just wanted to love the game and play the game that I love. Since I was six years old, boy. Now, when I heard that the number was getting retired, because Jackie Robinson now called my attention, said, no, no, I have to learn, I have to know who this man was and what he has done for baseball, because baseball is doing something major, retiring the number all over Major League Baseball. There's only one Jackie Robinson. So I learned, Jack, and when I learned, I was like, wow, you know, this is something special, because, and then I had the opportunity to carry his number. And then when every player was retiring or living the game, I mean, in all the songs, I was the one, the only one left. He got more heavier and more responsible, because now I had to carry his legacy. And I wanted to make Mr. Jackie Robinson so proud of what he did, that we were carrying that legacy, you know, and for me, it was a challenge. And at the same time, opportunity to carry, to carry his legacy. And thank God that I was able to do that with my teammates, you know, and in the end, I think we did right. I think we did right. And I was so proud of that, because I mean, what he did for me and for many others as minority, to me, he was number one and continually, I mean, that's the reason why in April 15, we have that everybody will use that number for, for one, you only see number 42. That's cool. Mariano, you have such a rich history with the Yankees. Last week, I was talking to Jorge Posada. And Jorge said, Mariano was the easiest pitcher for me to catch, because for most of his career, I just put down a one. He said later he worked the two seamer, the stinker in, so I had a one and a two. But did you know when you were on the mound that you were making life easier for a catcher like Jorge? Oh, I know. We always knew. As a matter of fact, most sometimes, I mean, he hadn't even put a sign. I was just, I'm going through the ball, you catch the ball, Jorge. Because I mean, we knew. I mean, everybody knew. The whole world knew that what I was doing. The only thing that we had to make sure were the locations. But, but even though the players knew it was coming, you know, the only thing that I didn't do job was telling verbally, hey guys, it's coming. I would say 99% of the time, they knew it was a cutter. You know, I mean, the only thing with me, one thing that we know, yes, I respect Georgie and all the catches that I have. Because I mean, those guys always try to make me better. But yeah, for them, I believe it was, I was easy for them to catch because, I mean, I didn't bounce the ball. I wasn't while throwing the ball over the place. They just sit there and the ball got to them. So that was good. When you look back, Mariano, at coming up in the minor leagues and you're with Jeter and Jorge Posada and Andy Pettit are around the same time. Bernie's a step or two ahead of you guys. Did you allow yourself way back when to think and to dream about what all of you could accomplish as a group? I mean, Jack, I mean, I knew that when we were in double A then triple A, I knew that we have something special. You know, you have a core players, including Bernie Williams, core of players that were from the home, from the house, born in the organization. And if we stay in the big leagues for at least five years or plus, I think that we will have something special because those players were raised the right way. It was about winning. It wasn't about individual. It wasn't about how much money I will make or who I am. It was about just together, how many championship we can win. And that was the beauty about those players. You know, there wasn't nothing, no ego. It wasn't nothing like, man, I have to be the man. I have to be the guy. If not, you know, I have to go someplace else to be the guy. No, it was players that were raised with the mentality to win, the preparation to win, the everything that you have within yourself to win. And that's where we, we accomplished job because I mean, yes, definitely, it takes a group of guys with the same mentality to accomplish what we accomplished. And yes, I mean, I knew that we were special, but I didn't, I didn't know that special. Why aren't you pitched for the most successful franchise and baseball history? And if you go decade by decade, generation by generation, people will talk about Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mannell and Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra. When people talk about the 90s into the 2000s, it's going to be you, Pettit, Passata, Jeter, Bernie Williams, throw Paul O'Neill, David Cohn, all the other pitchers who were part of that. How proud are you to be part of such an amazing Yankee legacy? Yeah, I'm extremely proud about what we accomplished. Why? Because I mean, it wasn't easy. It wasn't like it was given to us. No, it was a hard work and dedication, determination, passion, love, and a set mind to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish. So I mean, I'm extremely, extremely proud of what we accomplished, because again, it's the same thing what Mickey and Joe DiMaggio and Babe Ruth and Gehrig did. You know what I mean? Hey, they played for passion, what Yankees represent, and they opened the trench for us. So we know what was a winning team because we saw it. We didn't live in those towns, but we saw documentaries. We saw things where these guys were dominating baseball. But yes, they opened the trench for us so we can follow. And we put, I mean, the New York Yankees put a great team together, and they kept, remember, though, you know, most of the time, the young boys, they were trade for some other players and players with names and all that stuff. And for some reason, thank God, thank God that they kept us together. And that's why, I mean, and with the rest of the team is that we have, you know, they brought the great connect, the players like Paul O'Neill, Davey Kuhn, you know, Strawberry, Tim Reigns. And when you put a team together like that, come on, you know? And that's why, Jack, I believe that we all should be proud of what we accomplished, because it wasn't easy, guys. Mariano, you have had the opportunity to experience something that most players would dream of having it happen one time. You had it happen four times where you were on the mound getting the final out of a World Series victory. All of the months and years of work has now culminated, and you're the guy who just got that out that has sent your team to a championship. There are ways for you to even describe to us what that moment feels like when you know that all of that work, and as you said, all of that brotherhood has now culminated in a championship. Man, Jack, I don't know if there are words that I can express those moments that I can use to express those moments. It's like you're expecting something, it's like faith, okay? Faith is something that you expect, that you certainly know that it's there, but you can see it. So when it happened, it's like, God, thank God. I finally accomplished a receive by what I was hoping eight months ago, 10 years ago when I was in spring training for my first year as a professional player. And Jack, it's something so beautiful when you do it, when you do it right, when you achieve, when you know that it's done, it is finished, it's done complete. Man, it's sort of satisfaction. One thing I can tell you though, being on that power, and being in the bottom of that power, like in 1998, I was in my knees, and then here comes Joe Girardi, and then everybody, I thought I was dying down in the power. Mariana, we're in the ninth inning of this interview, and now I get to be the closer. There you go. We're going to zip through a few topics, and actually it's going to be more about your teammates. I'm going to hit you with a name, and I want you to give me the first word, phrase, story, anecdote about that person that jumps to your mind. And I've got to start with your hall of fame buddy, Derek Cheeter. What comes to mind when I say Derek Cheeter? Determination. Derek was the term. Nothing will hold him back to achieve what he wanted to achieve. Jorge Posada. Passionate. Georgia, for me, I mean, I always wanted to have a touch like him that you always motivate you and get the best out of him. Passionate. How about Andy Pay? I would say warrior. Although I know, Neil, they talk about what, to me, Andy was some type of unique individual pitcher, and we know that when he was there, we had a great chance to win. How about Bernie Williams? Another one. I mean, I don't see, I know that I play against great players, but Centerfield's, you know, kind of one like Griffey, but Bernie, when he was in his game, forget about it. I didn't see, I didn't want no one else, but Bernie Williams in Centerfield when I was pitching. And finally, Joe Tory. Oh man, mentor, father figure, brotherhood, everything and beyond, because this man allows us to be the man that we are. He helped us and he shaped us to be the man that we are now. He allows us to make mistakes. And I love that man because that he always allows to do what we think we can do and beyond. You know, I didn't know how good can you be until you try. You know, he allows to do that. So that man always will be in my prayers and in my talks, you know, because he's an amazing person. Mariano, when you get the opportunity to spend some time with some of the men that I just mentioned, and I know for instance, several of them were in Cooperstown last summer for you, when you're all together in a room and it's just the boys, as you like to call them, just getting a chance to hang out one more time. What are those conversations like? What do they consist of? I mean, I mean, this conversation, it's like we haven't stopped seeing each other for so many years. You know, it's like we saw just yesterday. You know, that's how much we respect and we love us. You know, because I mean, the way we treat ourselves, the way we went to our business and to me, those guys are my family, my brothers. They literally, I mean, they don't have my blood, but for sure, somewhere in there is blood of mine in their veins. Because I mean, that's something that to the day I die, they always will be in my heart because they are my family. You know, and once we see each other, it's like, man, you know, the brothers got together. Let's do it. While we're talking about silly stuff, you know, while we're doing how heavy you're getting and all that stuff, you know, how slow you're getting. But that's what family is. Jack, that's what family, you know, you play around, you joke around, but you love each other. And that's what kept us. That's what we feel that whatever we are, I mean, Derek is in Florida, George is in Florida, Andy is in Texas, in Houston, I'm here in New York, Bernie's here in New York, but it's like we're still in the same place. You know what I mean? Whatever it is, it's nothing can separate us, even though we are separated, nothing can separate us. And when we get together, it's amazing. Within that brotherhood, Mariano, when Derek Cheeter gets the call and is told that he is a Hall of Famer one year after you, do you remember the first thing you said to him and congratulating him about having his own place in Cooperstown? I mean, it's amazing though. It's amazing because, I mean, I call and tell the truth. I mean, I didn't got hold of him because I guaranteed you was so many people calling him. But I can't wait to see him and giving that big hug that he deserves, you know, and telling brother, congratulations because I mean, like I said, I was blessed to play with play like Derek, Andy, George, in my booth, Bernie, O'Neill, Tino, I mean, the list is long. And to me, all those players are Hall of Famer for me. You know, because I mean, they are unique individuals in my heart and to my family. So yes, I can't wait to see Derek and hopefully we have Hall of Fame. Hopefully, if not when we have it, because this is going to pass. Yeah. And we will have Hall of Fame event and then when he, I can't wait for his induction and, you know, giving that hug and kisses and telling brother, congrats. Welcome to the club. Mariano, that's a great way for you to describe Derek Jeter and how the two of you are now together in Cooperstown, where you should be. It all started out together for you guys, going all the way back to 1995. And I can't tell you how much we appreciate you giving us a few minutes today, sharing your wisdom, sharing your knowledge and sharing these fantastic baseball stories with us. Thank you, buddy. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you guys. I love you guys and stay safe. Okay. Be home. Stay safe.