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Playing with Purpose
Playing with Purpose: Mariano Rivera: The Closer Who Got Saved
He’s a Hall of Famer in every possible way—and Playing with Mariano Rivera is an easy-to-read, color-illustrated biography of the baseball’s all-time saves leader. What’s really cool is that when his storied career with the New York Yankees ends, Mariano Rivera plans to save souls in the ministry! Part of Barbour’s exciting “Playing with Purpose” series, this account covers Mariano Rivera’s life from his earliest days in Panama to his multiple World Series appearances and titles (even the 1999 MVP award), all the way through the 2012 Major League season. It’s a story of sports and faith for all ages.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
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187 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 11, 2013
(nb: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley)
The last baseball book I read before this one was The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood, which recounted the misbehavior and redemption of Yankee great, Mickey Mantle. It was scary.
"Playing with Purpose: Mariano Rivera: The Closer Who Got Saved" tells a very different story about another Yankee great--the greatest closer in baseball history, Mariano Rivera.
I admit, I'm not the biggest Yankees fan in the world, but I've always admired their "Core Four": Derek Jeter, Andy Pettite, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera. Despite all the chaos that follows the Yankees, these four showed competitiveness, teamwork, and class.
I've especially liked Mariano Rivera. No matter the situation, he walked to the mound as if in a bubble of calm. Then he mowed down hitters without seeming to break a sweat.
Even more impressive, I remember watching an interview with Rivera after he'd suffered an incredibly rare blown save. He said he was disappointed for his team, but it was a baseball game, and he was grateful that God allowed him to do this for a living, and that his family was healthy.
What?
Mariano Rivera actually does have his priorities that straight.
"Playing with Purpose: Mariano Rivera: The Closer Who Got Saved" is, as you might guess from the title, the story of Rivera's baseball career, as well as his journey in Christian faith. From his humble boyhood in a poor, Panamanian fishing village, through tough times in the minors, to the pinnacle of his profession, Mariano Rivera has always been a class act. He doesn't drink, and has never done drugs. He married his high school sweetheart, and is an attentive father to his children.
Beyond that, he has donated millions of dollars, taken the time to share his faith at hundreds of churches, and donated countless hours helping out those less fortunate than he is.
This book reminds me of baseball biographies I read when I was a kid. We get a precis of Rivera's career and triumphs. It doesn't recount every save he's ever recorded, nor does it need to. We get a healthy dose of Rivera's pitching mastery, and his strong sense of teamwork.
In addition, we learn a little about his boyhood and how it led him to baseball, and his humanitarian work.
This book also explores Mariano Rivera's Christian faith. Faith and family are the twin cornerstones of Rivera's life, with baseball coming in third. It would be impossible to write Mariano Rivera's biography, and not explore his faith.
This book is part of the "Playing with Purpose" series, which explores different athletes and how their faith works for them in their professional and off-field lives. It is as much a story of faith in action as it is of baseball greatness. As such, there are small sections scattered throughout that relate a Bible verse, or give an aside to a faith-specific part of Rivera's life.
The end result is an accessible, well-written biography of one of baseball's true class-acts. That it's also the story of one man's relationship with God is obvious from the cover. Either way, it's a book I'd have devoured when I was a kid, alongside bios of Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Babe Ruth, and Roberto Clemente. Whether or not you're raising your kid in the church, "Playing with Purpose: Mariano Rivera: The Closer Who Got Saved" provides a reading experience all-too-rare in today's world: the true story of a baseball superstar, who is also a legitimate good example for young people.
Recommended
The last baseball book I read before this one was The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood, which recounted the misbehavior and redemption of Yankee great, Mickey Mantle. It was scary.
"Playing with Purpose: Mariano Rivera: The Closer Who Got Saved" tells a very different story about another Yankee great--the greatest closer in baseball history, Mariano Rivera.
I admit, I'm not the biggest Yankees fan in the world, but I've always admired their "Core Four": Derek Jeter, Andy Pettite, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera. Despite all the chaos that follows the Yankees, these four showed competitiveness, teamwork, and class.
I've especially liked Mariano Rivera. No matter the situation, he walked to the mound as if in a bubble of calm. Then he mowed down hitters without seeming to break a sweat.
Even more impressive, I remember watching an interview with Rivera after he'd suffered an incredibly rare blown save. He said he was disappointed for his team, but it was a baseball game, and he was grateful that God allowed him to do this for a living, and that his family was healthy.
What?
Mariano Rivera actually does have his priorities that straight.
"Playing with Purpose: Mariano Rivera: The Closer Who Got Saved" is, as you might guess from the title, the story of Rivera's baseball career, as well as his journey in Christian faith. From his humble boyhood in a poor, Panamanian fishing village, through tough times in the minors, to the pinnacle of his profession, Mariano Rivera has always been a class act. He doesn't drink, and has never done drugs. He married his high school sweetheart, and is an attentive father to his children.
Beyond that, he has donated millions of dollars, taken the time to share his faith at hundreds of churches, and donated countless hours helping out those less fortunate than he is.
This book reminds me of baseball biographies I read when I was a kid. We get a precis of Rivera's career and triumphs. It doesn't recount every save he's ever recorded, nor does it need to. We get a healthy dose of Rivera's pitching mastery, and his strong sense of teamwork.
In addition, we learn a little about his boyhood and how it led him to baseball, and his humanitarian work.
This book also explores Mariano Rivera's Christian faith. Faith and family are the twin cornerstones of Rivera's life, with baseball coming in third. It would be impossible to write Mariano Rivera's biography, and not explore his faith.
This book is part of the "Playing with Purpose" series, which explores different athletes and how their faith works for them in their professional and off-field lives. It is as much a story of faith in action as it is of baseball greatness. As such, there are small sections scattered throughout that relate a Bible verse, or give an aside to a faith-specific part of Rivera's life.
The end result is an accessible, well-written biography of one of baseball's true class-acts. That it's also the story of one man's relationship with God is obvious from the cover. Either way, it's a book I'd have devoured when I was a kid, alongside bios of Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Babe Ruth, and Roberto Clemente. Whether or not you're raising your kid in the church, "Playing with Purpose: Mariano Rivera: The Closer Who Got Saved" provides a reading experience all-too-rare in today's world: the true story of a baseball superstar, who is also a legitimate good example for young people.
Recommended
August 11, 2014
Wow...
Anyone who has followed baseball over the last 20 years has certainly seen this man standing up on the mound. And if you happen to be anything except a fan of the New York Yankees, the sight of him on top of that mountain was not a welcome one.
And yet, even as we watched him go about the dismantling of nearly everyone he has ever faced, there was always a sense that this was a special person. Well, we had no idea the extent of it until we read his story.
It turns out that Mariano Rivera is one of the truly special people that walks the planet. Not so much because of his accomplishments, but even more because of his humility, Faith, love of family, people and most importantly God.
After reading the story you're touched not by his many accomplishments on the field which are among the greatest any athlete has ever achieved, but much more so by the tenderness, the openness and the faith of a man who went in every day and did his job without seeking praise or anything for himself, but always Gave the appreciation and glory to his Lord above. At the end of the story, we feel as though it has not ended, but is just beginning and we look forward to hearing more about this remarkable life and the people he will continue to touch as the years go on in his continuing ministry to others around the world.
Bravo Mariano... Bravo!!!
Anyone who has followed baseball over the last 20 years has certainly seen this man standing up on the mound. And if you happen to be anything except a fan of the New York Yankees, the sight of him on top of that mountain was not a welcome one.
And yet, even as we watched him go about the dismantling of nearly everyone he has ever faced, there was always a sense that this was a special person. Well, we had no idea the extent of it until we read his story.
It turns out that Mariano Rivera is one of the truly special people that walks the planet. Not so much because of his accomplishments, but even more because of his humility, Faith, love of family, people and most importantly God.
After reading the story you're touched not by his many accomplishments on the field which are among the greatest any athlete has ever achieved, but much more so by the tenderness, the openness and the faith of a man who went in every day and did his job without seeking praise or anything for himself, but always Gave the appreciation and glory to his Lord above. At the end of the story, we feel as though it has not ended, but is just beginning and we look forward to hearing more about this remarkable life and the people he will continue to touch as the years go on in his continuing ministry to others around the world.
Bravo Mariano... Bravo!!!
April 12, 2020
I love God and I love baseball so this book is a good fit for me.
Florea tells the story of a good man who came to know Jesus Christ through his journey in becoming the greatest relief pitcher in the history of the game. This short book tells of Mariano Rivera growing up in Panama and eventually coming to the USA as a minor league baseball player. It tells of how he started out wanting to be an outfielder but only reluctantly became a pitcher. He was a starting pitcher at first and became through need and actually his reliance on one pitch to become a closer for the New York Yankees.
Learning how the cut fastball is just a natural pitch for him that he didn't even have to learn was amazing. He, along with Posada, Jeter, and Petite became the core four who were there for all of the Yankees World Championships after coming up through the minor leagues together was a great story.
The best part of the book though was the part that talked about how Rivera came to know Jesus and what a good man he became as a result. He constantly gives God credit for all of his success and wants to bring others to Christ in any way he can.
I wish book covered his whole career. It stops after the 2012 season when he got hurt. He ended up playing one more year and was the only player ever elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I wish the book had covered what he is doing now too. An update would be good.
Florea tells the story of a good man who came to know Jesus Christ through his journey in becoming the greatest relief pitcher in the history of the game. This short book tells of Mariano Rivera growing up in Panama and eventually coming to the USA as a minor league baseball player. It tells of how he started out wanting to be an outfielder but only reluctantly became a pitcher. He was a starting pitcher at first and became through need and actually his reliance on one pitch to become a closer for the New York Yankees.
Learning how the cut fastball is just a natural pitch for him that he didn't even have to learn was amazing. He, along with Posada, Jeter, and Petite became the core four who were there for all of the Yankees World Championships after coming up through the minor leagues together was a great story.
The best part of the book though was the part that talked about how Rivera came to know Jesus and what a good man he became as a result. He constantly gives God credit for all of his success and wants to bring others to Christ in any way he can.
I wish book covered his whole career. It stops after the 2012 season when he got hurt. He ended up playing one more year and was the only player ever elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I wish the book had covered what he is doing now too. An update would be good.
Want to read
July 23, 2025Topic: Sports, Biography | Page Count:
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August 16, 2016Overall, this book unlike does not start with the day Mariano Rivera was born, it starts with the beginning of his career and flashes back on his childhood. Rivera faces adversity throughout his career whether is be injury or family or even the fact that he didn't know any English when he arrived to America. At the beginning of his career, Rivera starts off in the lower leagues and isn't doing too well, but then he developed a love for God and a relationship with Jesus Christ which in his opinion is what gave him the extra ability to make it to the majors. Once Mariano got on top of his game, there was no stopping him. Mariano impacted society in many different ways. He was an excellent role model for children, he was a strong role model in the Christian community, and he also did a lot of charity work. His charity work was the biggest thing that he contributed back to the community. He rebuilt many churches, and funded countless programs that supported the struggling youth of the nation. The theme of this text is that ones mindset is very influential on ones actions. When Rivera arrived to America, he didn't know any English. He could have just accepted the fact but he was determined to learn the new language because he knew it would help him. Also, when Rivera was not pitching well, he did not just give up and go home to the family he had missed. He was set on making it to the big leagues. He believed that God could give him the strength which allowed him to persevere to success. I would recommend this text to anyone who is interested in religion and/or baseball. The whole text is about Mariano Rivera, but also talks a lot about how religion has helped Rivera through his struggles.
April 21, 2016
Got this book from a Goodreads Giveaway...
Although I am not a huge baseball fan, this book was a page turner for me. This book is about a MLB baseball player named Mariano Rivera who has become number one in career saves and has been named to be the leader of many successful baseball teams ever.
Born in Panama City, he grew up happily with his father who was a fisherman by trade. When he was old enough, he followed his fathers footsteps. His father encouraged his love for baseball throughout his childhood years.
When he decided he did not have the passion for being a fisherman, 18 year old Mariano joined an amateur baseball league. This was the start of his baseball career...
He goes on to advance to the minor leagues and onto the major league. In 1994, he was saved and became a Christian. He realized that in hard times, people were always there to help him and in turn decided to help others.
To this day, he has provided funds to numerous charities, has built a church in his hometown, and plans to enter the ministry after retiring from baseball.
With its beautiful colored illustrations and easy to read content, this book has opened my eyes to someone who has been truly blessed by God. Very inspiring and motivational.
Although I am not a huge baseball fan, this book was a page turner for me. This book is about a MLB baseball player named Mariano Rivera who has become number one in career saves and has been named to be the leader of many successful baseball teams ever.
Born in Panama City, he grew up happily with his father who was a fisherman by trade. When he was old enough, he followed his fathers footsteps. His father encouraged his love for baseball throughout his childhood years.
When he decided he did not have the passion for being a fisherman, 18 year old Mariano joined an amateur baseball league. This was the start of his baseball career...
He goes on to advance to the minor leagues and onto the major league. In 1994, he was saved and became a Christian. He realized that in hard times, people were always there to help him and in turn decided to help others.
To this day, he has provided funds to numerous charities, has built a church in his hometown, and plans to enter the ministry after retiring from baseball.
With its beautiful colored illustrations and easy to read content, this book has opened my eyes to someone who has been truly blessed by God. Very inspiring and motivational.
March 31, 2014
Opening Day has arrived, and I finished a baseball book to celebrate!
If you are looking for an easy to read color-illustrated biography of one of baseballs greatest, I would recommend picking up this book. It would especially be a great read for teenage boys!
I am not a New York Yankee's fan at all, but Rivera was an amazing closer, had an amazing career, and loves Jesus! A man who has his priorities set straight.
Rivera donates millions of dollars to different charities and always thanks God for all that has been given to him.
This book is part of the "Playing with Purpose" Series, which explores different athletes and how their faith works for them in their professional and off-field lives, I will be looking into the other books.
If you are looking for an easy to read color-illustrated biography of one of baseballs greatest, I would recommend picking up this book. It would especially be a great read for teenage boys!
I am not a New York Yankee's fan at all, but Rivera was an amazing closer, had an amazing career, and loves Jesus! A man who has his priorities set straight.
Rivera donates millions of dollars to different charities and always thanks God for all that has been given to him.
This book is part of the "Playing with Purpose" Series, which explores different athletes and how their faith works for them in their professional and off-field lives, I will be looking into the other books.
April 28, 2013
Mariano Rivera has broken many records and holds many titles as well.
All Mariano wants to do is throw strikes.
Getting them out as soon as possible , and he succeeds. This book states many milestones in his career. Mariano Rivera started as a Yankee and til this day remains a Yankee.
When he enters the game you can tell he’s in full concentration and gets the job done.
Who knew as a kid being a great rock thrower from Puerto Caimito would land him on a baseball field.
Mariano Rivera enters the field with the tune of Metallica,”Enter Sandman.”
That became his entrance music in 1999.
#42 will always be remembered as a pitching legend of the New York.
All Mariano wants to do is throw strikes.
Getting them out as soon as possible , and he succeeds. This book states many milestones in his career. Mariano Rivera started as a Yankee and til this day remains a Yankee.
When he enters the game you can tell he’s in full concentration and gets the job done.
Who knew as a kid being a great rock thrower from Puerto Caimito would land him on a baseball field.
Mariano Rivera enters the field with the tune of Metallica,”Enter Sandman.”
That became his entrance music in 1999.
#42 will always be remembered as a pitching legend of the New York.
May 24, 2013
I got this book from a First Reads giveaway, but I gladly would have paid money for it. This book is a tad bit on the religious side, but it still gives great insight into the life and personality of one of the best relief pitchers to play the game of baseball. Sports fans should enjoy this quick to read book, and it might even drag some religious fanatics into the world of sports. Rivera is an inspiration, and the authors of this book help showcase that.
June 8, 2013
Really awesome story about the greatest closer of all-time. Amazing hearing in a 2 week period how his pitch went up 10 miles per hour, where Mo said "It was his miracle given to him by God". Just started the book today and only put it down to sleep. Read in a very short time period and would keep the attention of any Yankees fan :)
March 24, 2015
Sweet memoir told in Mariano Rivera's natural and down to earth voice. Makes you feel like you have just had a long lunch with this humble and religious man. The book gives you a tremendous insight on who the person is, as you go along for the ride on a review of Yankees history. The book is not just for baseball fans. But if you are a Yankee fan, you will especially love it!
May 8, 2013
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway.
Kept my interest despite the theme on baseball.
Kept my interest despite the theme on baseball.
May 23, 2013
Good insite on what makes this guy tick. This boo is a lot more than baseball. Its about the man. There will only ever be one Mo. i won this book on Goodreads.
June 28, 2014
Faith and family are highlighted in this book but its nice to go down memory lane with his career as a Yankee.
June 23, 2014
This is a play by play of the life of a Yankee pitcher. It covers his life, his Christian beliefs, and his baseball career. Very good.
July 25, 2014
Inspirational and Great Read!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews