Anthony Rizzo had an even better Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field than he likely could have imagined.
Earlier this week, Rizzo announced the end of his 14-year MLB career and that he would retire as a Chicago Cub, the team with whom he played 10 seasons and won a World Series in 2016.
Prior to Saturday’s matinee versus the Tampa Bay Rays, Rizzo threw out the ceremonial first pitch to former teammate Ian Happ and the Cubs honored him with a pregame celebration.
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Once Saturday’s game began, was there any better place for Rizzo to share in the celebration with Cubs fans than in the Wrigley Field bleachers?
Joining Rizzo in the bleachers were a few celebrity friends, including supermodel Cindy Crawford and Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder. The trio sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch and Vedder may have enjoyed a few adult beverages, later dropping an F-bomb on the telecast.
Happ later paid gratitude to his former mentor by tossing money and a ball with a note written on it to Rizzo. The note said “Here’s to never having to buy a beer in Chicago,” and Rizzo appeared to enjoying those benefits out in the Chicago sunshine.
Before the game, Happ praised Rizzo, whom he played with from 2017-20.
“Such a great leader, such a great human, the way he gave back to the city,” Happ told reporters. “He was the foundation, the building block of turning the Cubs to the expectations of being in the playoffs and winning… He really has done a great job of representing what it means to be a Cub.”
“He told me yesterday he’s gonna be heckling me pretty good,” he added, anticipating Rizzo’s appearance in the bleachers and giving him a gift.
Joining the Cubs’ broadcast booth later in the game, Rizzo expressed his admiration for Happ as a teammate, in addition to praising his physical attributes.
“Seeing him, seeing his nice butt from behind… he’s got a big dumper, that’s for sure,” Rizzo said.
Rizzo’s day nearly got even better, if that was possible, when Moisés Ballesteros took a high outside fastball from Rays starter Drew Rasmussen to the opposite field. The rookie’s first career home run was hit right to where Rizzo was sitting and the former first baseman nearly caught the ball, which ricocheted off his right hand.
The fan favorite wore his No. 44 jersey, which was signed by all of the cancer patients he’s visited on behalf of the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation.
Visiting and inspiring cancer patients has a special meaning for Rizzo, who was diagnosed with limited-stage Hodgkin lymphoma when he was 18 years old. He went into remission and has been cancer-free since then. Rizzo’s foundation has raised more than $20 million to support pediatric cancer patients.
During his 10 seasons with the Cubs, Rizzo compiled a .272/.372/.489 slash average with 242 home runs and 784 RBI. He was named to three All-Star teams and won four Gold Glove awards.
Rizzo began his career with the San Diego Padres, who traded him to the Cubs after one season. In 2021, he was traded to the New York Yankees, with whom he played four seasons and registered a .234/.326/.409 average with 60 homers and 172 RBI.
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