This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 4/15/2010.
Mariano Rivera is the most dominant closer in Yankee and baseball history. The movement of his 90-plus mile an hour cut fastball is unmatched, which has helped him record 526 career saves, second on the all-time list of Major League saves. The 1999 World Series MVP and five-time World Champion is a shoo-in first ballot Hall of Famer and will have his number 42 retired by the Yankees when his playing days are over. On September 20th, 2008, Mariano recorded his final win at the old Yankee Stadium, holding the Orioles to a scoreless ninth inning before the Yanks scored in the bottom of the ninth to take a 1-0 decision. In this lot is the home plate over which Rivera hurled the final strikes of that win, which came during the team’s last homestand at the old Yankee Stadium. The plate shows excellent game-use with Yankee Stadium dirt still stuck in its crevices. Mo has signed the plate in black sharpie, with the big, bold signature rating a strong 8. Below his name he has added the inscription “Last Yankee Stadium Win 9-20-08”. Comes with LOAs from JSA and Yankees-Steiner.