The Rizzo Ring: A Great Lake Caper and a Testament to Championship Grit
Published on: September 4, 2025
The baseball gods, it seems, have a peculiar sense of humor. They allow a 108-year curse to be broken by a team of lovable losers, only to nearly snatch back a symbol of that victory from the very hand that helped secure it. This, my friends, is the story of Anthony Rizzo’s 2016 World Series ring and its near-death experience at the bottom of Lake Michigan. A story that, like a well-placed bunt, is small in scope but packed with surprising depth.
Now, Rizzo, the former Yankees first baseman and Cubs legend, isn't known for his flashy antics. He’s a blue-collar ballplayer, a grinder, the kind of guy who’d rather take a walk than swing for the fences if it meant getting a runner in scoring position. So, it’s almost fitting that the near-loss of his most prized possession wasn’t some Vegas high-roller mishap, but a simple, almost mundane, slip-up on a summer boat trip.
The details, as reported by Block Club Chicago, are almost comical in their ordinariness. Rizzo, having shed some of his playing weight, was washing his hands over the side of the boat. A seemingly innocuous act. He shakes the water off, and poof – the ring, now loose on his slimmer finger, takes a swan dive into the murky depths of Lake Michigan.
Imagine the sinking feeling in Rizzo’s gut. It's not just a ring; it’s a tangible representation of a career-defining moment, a piece of baseball history he wears on his hand. It's the culmination of years of hard work, the embodiment of a city's hopes and dreams finally realized. Gone. Swallowed by the vast, indifferent maw of the Great Lake.
Enter Yohei Yamada, a Chicago-based scuba diver with a reputation for finding lost treasures in the lake's watery graveyard. Yamada, a sort of aquatic Sherlock Holmes, has retrieved everything from cell phones and wallets to a $30,000 Rolex. Rings, he admits, are his toughest challenge. "Rings are the hardest to find," he told Block Club Chicago, "but the phones are everywhere." His almost blasé attitude about retrieving lost valuables ("If I'm already suited up, I'll go get it for $100.") speaks to the sheer volume of items that find their way to the lake bottom.
Rizzo, clearly a man of action, wasted no time. He got Yamada’s number, and soon the diver was plunging into the depths of Lake Michigan, embarking on a quest for a tiny, incredibly valuable piece of metal in a vast expanse of water. It’s the kind of search that would test the patience of Job, but Yamada, undeterred, persevered.
And then, against the odds, a miracle. Yamada surfaces, triumphant, the ring glistening in his hand. Rizzo, no doubt breathing a sigh of relief that could rival the winds off Lake Michigan, gratefully handed over a few crisp Benjamins – a small price to pay for the return of a priceless artifact.
This incident, seemingly trivial, underscores the profound meaning athletes attach to their championship jewelry. For fans, a championship ring is a symbol of a team’s victory. For the players, it represents something much more personal. It’s a tangible reminder of the blood, sweat, and tears poured onto the field, the countless hours of practice and preparation, the unwavering dedication to the pursuit of excellence. It's a physical embodiment of a dream realized, a testament to the unyielding spirit that propelled them to the pinnacle of their sport.
For Rizzo, the 2016 World Series ring represents a particularly poignant chapter in his career. He was an integral part of that Cubs team, a squad that defied all expectations and shattered a century-old curse. His three postseason home runs, including one in the crucial Game 6 against Cleveland, helped propel the Cubs to their historic victory. That Game 7 win, etched in baseball lore, was a culmination of everything that makes this sport so captivating – the drama, the tension, the sheer improbability of it all.
Rizzo’s journey, however, extends beyond that magical 2016 season. He continued to anchor the Cubs’ lineup until a trade sent him to the Yankees in July 2021. In the Bronx, he provided veteran leadership and a steady glove at first base, contributing to multiple playoff runs, including the Yankees' 2024 World Series appearance, ultimately falling short against the Dodgers.
Now, at 36 and a free agent after the Yankees declined his 2025 option, Rizzo faces an uncertain future in the game. But his legacy is secure. He’s a cancer survivor, a World Series champion, and a respected figure in two of baseball's most storied franchises.
Thanks to Yohei Yamada, the diver who specializes in the seemingly impossible, Rizzo's symbol of triumph, that tangible piece of history, is back where it belongs. Yankees fans may remember him for his quiet professionalism and steady play at first base, but for Cubs fans, Rizzo will forever be associated with that 2016 ring, the ring that almost got away, the ring that represents the breaking of a curse and the fulfillment of a city’s dreams. The Rizzo ring, a testament to championship grit and a reminder that sometimes, even in the depths of Lake Michigan, hope floats.
Now, Rizzo, the former Yankees first baseman and Cubs legend, isn't known for his flashy antics. He’s a blue-collar ballplayer, a grinder, the kind of guy who’d rather take a walk than swing for the fences if it meant getting a runner in scoring position. So, it’s almost fitting that the near-loss of his most prized possession wasn’t some Vegas high-roller mishap, but a simple, almost mundane, slip-up on a summer boat trip.
The details, as reported by Block Club Chicago, are almost comical in their ordinariness. Rizzo, having shed some of his playing weight, was washing his hands over the side of the boat. A seemingly innocuous act. He shakes the water off, and poof – the ring, now loose on his slimmer finger, takes a swan dive into the murky depths of Lake Michigan.
Imagine the sinking feeling in Rizzo’s gut. It's not just a ring; it’s a tangible representation of a career-defining moment, a piece of baseball history he wears on his hand. It's the culmination of years of hard work, the embodiment of a city's hopes and dreams finally realized. Gone. Swallowed by the vast, indifferent maw of the Great Lake.
Enter Yohei Yamada, a Chicago-based scuba diver with a reputation for finding lost treasures in the lake's watery graveyard. Yamada, a sort of aquatic Sherlock Holmes, has retrieved everything from cell phones and wallets to a $30,000 Rolex. Rings, he admits, are his toughest challenge. "Rings are the hardest to find," he told Block Club Chicago, "but the phones are everywhere." His almost blasé attitude about retrieving lost valuables ("If I'm already suited up, I'll go get it for $100.") speaks to the sheer volume of items that find their way to the lake bottom.
Rizzo, clearly a man of action, wasted no time. He got Yamada’s number, and soon the diver was plunging into the depths of Lake Michigan, embarking on a quest for a tiny, incredibly valuable piece of metal in a vast expanse of water. It’s the kind of search that would test the patience of Job, but Yamada, undeterred, persevered.
And then, against the odds, a miracle. Yamada surfaces, triumphant, the ring glistening in his hand. Rizzo, no doubt breathing a sigh of relief that could rival the winds off Lake Michigan, gratefully handed over a few crisp Benjamins – a small price to pay for the return of a priceless artifact.
This incident, seemingly trivial, underscores the profound meaning athletes attach to their championship jewelry. For fans, a championship ring is a symbol of a team’s victory. For the players, it represents something much more personal. It’s a tangible reminder of the blood, sweat, and tears poured onto the field, the countless hours of practice and preparation, the unwavering dedication to the pursuit of excellence. It's a physical embodiment of a dream realized, a testament to the unyielding spirit that propelled them to the pinnacle of their sport.
For Rizzo, the 2016 World Series ring represents a particularly poignant chapter in his career. He was an integral part of that Cubs team, a squad that defied all expectations and shattered a century-old curse. His three postseason home runs, including one in the crucial Game 6 against Cleveland, helped propel the Cubs to their historic victory. That Game 7 win, etched in baseball lore, was a culmination of everything that makes this sport so captivating – the drama, the tension, the sheer improbability of it all.
Rizzo’s journey, however, extends beyond that magical 2016 season. He continued to anchor the Cubs’ lineup until a trade sent him to the Yankees in July 2021. In the Bronx, he provided veteran leadership and a steady glove at first base, contributing to multiple playoff runs, including the Yankees' 2024 World Series appearance, ultimately falling short against the Dodgers.
Now, at 36 and a free agent after the Yankees declined his 2025 option, Rizzo faces an uncertain future in the game. But his legacy is secure. He’s a cancer survivor, a World Series champion, and a respected figure in two of baseball's most storied franchises.
Thanks to Yohei Yamada, the diver who specializes in the seemingly impossible, Rizzo's symbol of triumph, that tangible piece of history, is back where it belongs. Yankees fans may remember him for his quiet professionalism and steady play at first base, but for Cubs fans, Rizzo will forever be associated with that 2016 ring, the ring that almost got away, the ring that represents the breaking of a curse and the fulfillment of a city’s dreams. The Rizzo ring, a testament to championship grit and a reminder that sometimes, even in the depths of Lake Michigan, hope floats.
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