{"product_id":"the-closer-9780316400749","title":"The Closer","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe greatest relief pitcher of all time shares his extraordinary story of survival, love, and baseball.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Mariano Rivera, the man who intimidated thousands of batters merely by opening a bullpen door, began his incredible journey as the son of a poor Panamanian fisherman. When first scouted by the Yankees, he didn't even own his own glove. He thought he might make a good mechanic. When discovered, he had never flown in an airplane, had never heard of Babe Ruth, spoke no English, and couldn't imagine Tampa, the city where he was headed to begin a career that would become one of baseball's most iconic. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e What he did know: that he loved his family and his then girlfriend, Clara, that he could trust in the Lord to guide him, and that he could throw a baseball exactly where he wanted to, every time. With astonishing candor, Rivera tells the story of the championships, the bosses (including The Boss), the rivalries, and the struggles of being a Latino baseball player in the United States and of maintaining Christian values in professional athletics. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The thirteen-time All-Star discusses his drive to win; the secrets behind his legendary composure; the story of how he discovered his cut fastball; the untold, pitch-by-pitch account of the ninth inning of Game 7 in the 2001 World Series; and why the lowest moment of his career became one of his greatest blessings. In The Closer, Rivera takes readers into the Yankee clubhouse, where his teammates are his brothers. But he also takes us on that jog from the bullpen to the mound, where the game -- or the season -- rests squarely on his shoulders. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e We come to understand the laserlike focus that is his hallmark, and how his faith and his family kept his feet firmly on the pitching rubber. Many of the tools he used so consistently and gracefully came from what was inside him for a very long time -- his deep passion for life; his enduring commitment to Clara, whom he met in kindergarten; and his innate sense for getting out of a jam. When Rivera retired, the whole world watched -- and cheered. In \u003ci\u003eThe Closer\u003c\/i\u003e, we come to an even greater appreciation of a legend built from the ground up.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Back Bay Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/05\/2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780316400749\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 288\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.60lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.10h x 5.40w x 0.90d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAccelerated Reader Quiz #\/Name: \u003c\/b\u003e171421 \/ Closer: My Story\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReading Level:\u003c\/b\u003e 6.1 \/ \u003cb\u003eInterest Level:\u003c\/b\u003e Upper Grade \/ \u003cb\u003ePoint Value:\u003c\/b\u003e 15\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Mariano Rivera","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43067609809077,"sku":"9780316400749","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_83cd78fb-408a-4aa9-9770-0d080eaf49ab.jpg?v=1690861344","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-closer-9780316400749","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}