Mariano Rivera — Save No. 602 All Time Saves Leader

Mariano Rivera — Save No. 602

The Night “The Sandman” Became Baseball’s All-Time Saves Leader

New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins | September 19, 2011 | Yankee Stadium

On September 19, 2011, the final notes of Enter Sandman gave way to history.

With the New York Yankees leading the Minnesota Twins, Mariano Rivera took the mound at Yankee Stadium and delivered exactly what generations of Yankees fans had come to expect: complete control, a clean ninth inning, and another Yankees victory sealed by No. 42.

But this save was different.

It was Save No. 602.

With the final out, Mariano Rivera passed Trevor Hoffman and became Major League Baseball’s all-time career saves leader. It was the defining regular-season milestone of a career built on dominance, consistency, and an unmatched ability to finish games when the pressure was greatest.

At the center of this Memorable Momentz presentation is something exceptionally rare: an authentic physical ticket from the exact game, professionally encapsulated and graded by PSA.

This is not a replica, reprint, or simply an image commemorating the event. It is a genuine piece of entry history from Yankee Stadium on the afternoon Rivera broke baseball’s all-time saves record—preserved, authenticated, and protected in a PSA holder for long-term collectibility.

That physical ticket is what transforms this display from a tribute into a true historic artifact. It represents a tangible connection to the exact moment Yankees fans witnessed Mariano Rivera stand alone at the top of the record book.

Rivera would ultimately finish his career with 652 saves, retire as the undisputed greatest closer in baseball history, and later become the first player unanimously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. But Save No. 602 was the moment the record officially became his.