E:60 reporter Tom Rinaldi accompanies Rivera to the small fishing village in Panama where he grew up and gets the future Hall of Famer to open up about his final season, the injury that almost ended his career and his place in baseball history. (12:22)

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox bade farewell to Mariano Rivera on Sunday night with an elaborate pregame ceremony that was part symphonic concert, part tribute and part roast.

It started with the Boston Cello Quartet playing a string version of the closer's theme song, "Enter Sandman," and included a lighthearted video montage of Rivera blowing a save in Game 4 of the 2004 AL Championship Series, which led to the Red Sox winning their first world championship in 86 years.

The Red Sox honored longtime rival Mariano Rivera Sunday, greeting him with gifts on the diamond -- after showing highlights from Rivera's blown save during Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports

It ended with the presentation of four meaningful gifts -- a painting of Rivera, the green "42" placard used on the Fenway Park scoreboard whenever he pitches, an original seat from the ballpark and a pitching rubber from the bullpen.

Plus, the entire Red Sox team gathered on the infield to shake a beaming Rivera's hand as a congratulatory statement from Red Sox owner John Henry was read over the public-address system: "We tip our cap to the great Rivera, a fierce competitor and a gentleman."

Boston slugger David Ortiz gave Rivera a hug.

"Great ceremony. Great. Well done," Rivera said after a 9-2 Yankees loss in which he did not pitch. "Humbling. At the same time, I definitely appreciate what the Red Sox organization did. I will never forget that."

The ceremony lasted about 15 minutes and pushed back the start of the series, and the regular-season finale between the Yankees and Red Sox, to 8:13 p.m. ET.

As the Yankees batted in the ninth inning, Rivera wrote a message on the bullpen wall that read: "Mariano Rivera. Last to wear #42. Thanks for everything."

ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney tweeted a picture of the message:

This what Rivera wrote in the bullpen. pic.twitter.com/dgQzS02bM6 — Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) September 16, 2013

"I was giving thanks," Rivera said. "That's it. I was thanking the guys in the bullpen for everything."

Rivera said he wasn't offended by the Red Sox's good-natured ribbing about the 2004 ALCS.

"It's not strange. It was good, though," he said. "They have all the power to do that. They beat us that year. Why not? You have a great time, you have fun and they did. All the power to them."