
President Donald Trump has given the Presidential Medal of Freedom to baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera.
"Congratulations to Mariano Rivera on unanimously being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame!".
Trump, a Yankees fan, praised Rivera on Monday as "maybe the greatest pitcher of all time".
"He was a friend of mine before he became president", Rivera said.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor and Rivera is following in the footsteps of other great athletes - Tiger Woods and Jerry West - who have already received the award this year.
Regularly dominating the likes of Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Hank Aaron and Robert Clemente, Rivera rightfully earned his place as one of the most beloved pitchers in New York Yankees history. He now holds the record for most career saves with 652. Rivera won five American League Rolaids Relief Man Awards and three Delivery Man of the Year Awards, finishing in the top three in voting for the AL Cy Young Award four times.
Rivera, baseball's all-time saves leader, spoke about his relationship with the president during an appearance on "Fox & Friends" in July. "I respect what he does, and I believe he's doing the best for the United States of America".