NEW YORK _ It's unanimous. Mariano Rivera has joined the immortals.
Enter Sandman into Cooperstown.
Mariano Rivera swept into Baseball's Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, a historic election that saw him named on all 425 ballots cast by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
In the 75th year of BBWAA voting, the iconic Yankees' closer and MLB's all-time saves leader became the first player to be unanimously elected.
Rivera was ushered to Cooperstown along with Mariners' designated hitter Edgar Martinez, possibly his toughest opponent, the late Roy Halladay _ ace of the Blue Jays and later the Phillies _ and Yankees teammate Mike Mussina.
Appearing on his first Hall of Fame ballot, fellow Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte cleared the five-percent threshold to remain on the BBWAA ballot.
This ballot became a celebration of Rivera's 19-year unique and memorable career, forged by one special pitch _ an incredible cut fastball _ that boosted the Yankees toward five world championships.
And in saving a record 652 games, 42 more in the regular season, the extent of Rivera's celebration was usually a mild fist pump before embracing his catcher and shaking the hands of his teammates.
"You can't create somebody's character," Yankees manager Joe Torre told reporters recently about Rivera. "Longevity is so suspect in that type of job (as a closer) ... not only the physical part of it, but the emotional part of being in that situation all the time and being able to turn the page if it doesn't work."
Rivera had his share of October heartbreak, yet forged a 0.70 ERA in 96 postseason games, with 42 saves _ a record 11 coming in World Series games.
"I couldn't imagine the bright lights of Yankee Stadium that he had to deal with on a night-in, night-out basis," said Trevor Hoffman, a Hall-of-Fame inductee last year and the only other member of MLB's 600-save club.
"But I admired Mariano's career from afar, just the man that he is and the way that he handled himself," Hoffman said. "Nothing but class."
