DEREK JETER’S ACT CLOSES IN COOPERSTOWN

BY KIERAN STECKLEY

JETER’S HOME RUN IN GAME 4 OF THE 2001 WORLD SERIES CAME THE EARLY MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 1ST, EARNING HIM THE NICKNAME MR. NOVEMBER.

DEREK JETER WAS A GREAT PLAYER.

We all know that, right?

You don’t need to be reminded he collected 3,465 hits while batting .310 in 20 years of service to the New York Yankees. You are aware he won Rookie of the Year, five Silver Slugger awards, five Golden Glove awards and made the All-Star team 14 times. And you can’t forget about the five World Series championships. His enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame was a forgone conclusion well before he ended his playing career.

that’s all common knowledge.

the “who” withJeter is easy to determine. the previously mentioned numbers sum it up well. But numbers only tell so much of the story. It’s the “what” withJeter that tells the whole story.

It’s a story of how a scrawny kid from Kalamazoo, Michigan, became a baseball icon and a star in American culture.

UNCANNY LIKEABILITY

Jeter played for the New York Yankees and won multiple championships. those two things produce fans and enemies at the same rate.

And yet, there is seldom a negative opinion of him. Sure, there are some not-so-friendly defensive analytics that some are quick to point out. His alleged gift baskets made for funny headlines for a few days. It’s fair to reason that some had Jeter-lag by the end, but one would be hardpressed to find an actual hater. Living in one of the most populated and media-centric cities on the planet, Jeter was never subject to anything more serious than tabloid gossip. that’s impressive considering Jeter enjoyed being New York’s most eligible bachelor for the better part of two decades.