Derek Jeter Passes Lou Gehrig To Become Yankees All-Time Hits Leader

The New York Yankees are the Boston Red Sox arch-rival, so, naturally, I despise them. Through the years, there have been many players that I have found despicable, such as third-baseman Alex Rodriguez. But there are those that I have had, and continue to have the utmost respect for. Closer Mariano Rivera is one. Shortstop and captain Derek Jeter is another.

Ex-Manager Joe Torre and Sports Illustrated’s Tom Vercucci, co-authors of The Yankee Years, said that New York’s clubhouse was riddled with dysfunctional and egotistical players. Rivera and Jeter, Yankees for the entirety of their careers—dating back to 1995—are not members of this group. They have played the game the way it’s supposed to, and, though both have put up Hall of Fame caliber statistics, have never made much of their individual success.

To them, there has never been an “I” in Team.

Given his team-first attitude, this has been a very trying and awkward September for one of the best shortstops of all-time. He started the month eleven hits behind Lou Gehrig’s all-time Yankees’ hit mark of 2,721. For the first time in his illustrious career, he couldn’t handle the pressure. Reaching and passing Gehrig was imminent, but Jeter wanted to accomplish the feat as soon as possible so he could shift his attention back to the Yankees.

He was pressing at the plate, and hit .189 over the month’s first eight games, a span of 34 at-bats. Then, he became the Jeter I watched in awe over during the previous five months, arguably the best five month stretch of his career.

He collected three hits in New York’s series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays. The third, an opposite-field single, tied him with Gehrig. Now all he needed was one hit against the Baltimore Orioles to solidify his place in Yankee lore. In the second inning, a dream, though he never expressed it, came true. To start the third inning, he lined a third-pitch fastball from Orioles starter Chris Tillman into right-field. The rain-sopped crowd that filled Yankees stadium in anticipation of this moment cheered Jeter with a standing ovation once the ball evaded first baseman Luke Scott.

Jeter clapped his hands as he rounded first base, then once he returned to the bag, his teammates leaped over the dugout railing and congratulated him. For the first time in his career, he basked in a moment that was all about him. The Orioles, those leaning over their dugout railing and those on the field, acknowledged Jeter’s accomplishment, possessing the attitude that Jeter has always had.

Jeter signed with the Yankees organization out of high school, and, as a painfully skinny shortstop, hit .222 as a 18-year old at their Rookie and Low-A levels, then committed 56 errors in 128 games with Low-A ball in 1993. But it was smooth sailing after that incredibly rocky start. As their top prospect, he was promoted to the major leagues late in 1995, then became their full-time shortstop in 1996. He led the Yankees to a World Series title that year, then again in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

He was an icon and, because of his poise and uncanny professionalism at such a young age, became one of the most beloved and respected players of any generation. He was then, and still is, the definition of class.

Jeter took the title “Mr. October” away from former Yankee great Reggie Jackson with his splendid postseason play during the dynasty and his clutch play in the title-less years. When New York needed a hit, he delivered every time. Now, he’s taken the “Yankees All-Time Hits King” title away from Gehrig by breaking his mark that stood for 71 years.