EL Best Skipper, Rivera of Sapporo Wednesday, November 15th , 2023
Manager Ricky Rivera was speaking before a Sapporo fan luncheon when word came down that he'd been awarded the Eastern League Manager of the Year. Rivera's face turned to surprise as the club's owner made the hasty announcement.
"Wow... how lucky can a guy be? Manage a great bunch of guys... have great fans... have a great season... and now this... life don't get any better than this."
Sapporo fans applauded, recognizing how fortunate they were to have Rivera at the helm. Both fans and players in attendance toasted their skipper as they truly enjoyed the day.
2023 was an extra-special season for Rivera as he piloted the Sapporo Snow Leopards to a 107-55 record and a first place spot in the Division 1 standings. A record good enough to win the 2023 Manager of the Year Award.