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Remembering Mariano Rivera's historic career on his 50th birthday

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / Getty

No. 42 has turned 50.

Mariano Rivera, Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader, is celebrating his 50th birthday on Friday. The 13-time All-Star was a member of the "Core Four" with the New York Yankees that won four championships in five years from 1996-2000. He added another title in 2009 to finish with five.

Rivera's legend grew in the postseason, as the right-hander posted a microscopic 0.70 ERA in 96 career appearances, which included a record scoreless streak of 33 1/3 innings.

To honor Rivera's milestone birthday, here are five memories from his remarkable 19-year career with the Bronx Bombers that led to his unanimous induction into Cooperstown.

5. Started in rookie season

The best reliever in the baseball history made 10 starts during his rookie campaign in 1995. They did not go well, as Rivera surrendered 33 earned runs in 50 innings. At 25 years old, he owned a 5.61 ERA before making a permanent switch to the bullpen. The rest, as they say, is history.

4. Origins of the "Sandman"

Rivera comes to mind when baseball fans think of Metallica's "Enter Sandman." The song epitomized Rivera in the sense that the game was over when he came in. However, he also tested out "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses before finding the musical selection that put fear into opposing teams.

3. One night, two big milestones

June 28, 2009, is a date that Rivera will never forget. The Panamanian pitcher registered the first and only RBI of his career by drawing a bases-loaded walk against the New York Mets.

Rivera also notched the 500th save of his career on that night in Queens. Overall, he registered an unprecedented 652 saves in 19 seasons and finished a record 952 games.

2. Signature pitch

"You know what's coming, but you know what's coming in horror movies too," former major-league hitter Mike Sweeney said about Rivera's famed cutter, according to Bill Madden of the New York Daily News. "It still gets you."

Indeed, the closer's signature pitch was the stuff that nightmares are made of - especially for baseball bats.

1. The last No. 42

New York retired Rivera's number on September 22, 2013. The use of No. 42 was discontinued across MLB in 1997 to honor Jackie Robinson, but all active players still wearing the number were allowed to keep it. Rivera became the last major leaguer to dawn the iconic No. 42.

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