On Thursday night (September 25, 2014), Major League Baseball (MLB) great Derek Jeter played his final home game as a New York Yankee.
In a fitting finale, Jeter had a walk-off hit that scored the winning run in a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. It was epic. It was like something from a movie.
It was Jeter — to a tee.
Sadly, the win meant little, as the O’s have had the AL East wrapped up for a bit now, and the Yanks will sadly see no postseason action this year — leaving “Captain Clutch” to be forced to complete his swan song on Sunday (September 28, 2014) against the rival Boston Red Sox. (Again…fitting.)
He deserved better, but sometimes, that’s just how things shake down for great legends on their way out.
With all that said, it would be easy for all of this blend into the background, which, I think is representative of Jeter’s career.
I mean that in the best way possible. Look. Let’s be honest. Athletically, Jeter has never been a guy people have oohed and ahhed over. He probably won’t be remembered as being the best at anything.
But he was a great leader. He made plays when they needed to be made. He had class. He reminded you of baseball players from a different era.
He did it the right way. And I don’t mean he didn’t do steroids. He didn’t. But there are a ton of baseball players who have never used steroids, and we are not talking about them as first ballot Hall of Famers.
Jeter brought respectability back to a game that always deserved it, but was lacking it, due to the improprieties of so many who cheated everyone, including themselves.
He was a player whose poster you could proudly allow to hang on your kid’s wall (unless you were a Boston fan). Everyone respected him, and in this day and age where players are placed under such close scrutiny, that means something.
You don’t have to be a Yankee fan to appreciate what Jeter meant to the game.
His importance cannot be overstated.
#FarewellCaptain
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