(AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) For Mariano Rivera, it was the culmination of a storied career, dreams of being the next Pele long since forgotten. For Brandy Halladay, the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a tearful moment to reflect on the accomplishments of her late husband, and she handled a difficult task admirably.

Rivera, the career saves leader and the first player unanimously voted into the Hall by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, was greeted by chants of his name from the adoring crowd as he stepped to the podium in a fitting close to Sunday's ceremony. He spoke in both English and at the end in Spanish, rarely looking down at the speech he had prepared.

"I think I choose that because sometimes you write words and it doesn't sound right," Rivera said. "But when you come from the heart, it comes right. My intention was always to speak from the heart."

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