As if it was written as a child’s fairy tale, the end to the career of “DJ,” “Captain Clutch,” “Mr. November,” or simply Derek Jeter, was nothing short of spectacular.
In the top of the third at Fenway, with the last at-bat of his career, Jeter hit an infield single that sent in the 1,311th RBI of his monumental masterpiece of a career. A pinch-runner was sent in to replace him on the base path, and he exited the game with a salute to the fans.
Through class, hard-work, and, most importantly, respect for the game and everyone involved, Jeter solidified a spot in Cooperstown, more than likely being a first-ballot entry into the hall.
Finishing amongst some of the all-time greats in many statistical categories, Jeter was able to climb his way into the top 10 of three of them: runs, with 1,923 (9th), at-bats, with 11,195 (7th), and hits, with 3,465 (6th).
Few professional athletes can say they played a game for 20 years, never being the in the midst of a controversy of their character. My hat’s off to you, sir.