If you ask baseball fans, many will say that Derek Jeter is the face for all that’s good and right about the American pastime.
After nearly two decades as the New York Yankees shortstop, he’s going to retire at the end of the season. Thursday night was the last time he would play at Yankees Stadium and it was a special night for the team and fans.
The entire night was emotional for Jeter.
“I don’t know how I played this game,” he said. “I went up my first at-bat; I forgot my elbow guard. I was throwing balls away. I was giving signs to Drew at second base and there was no one on base. So, I was all messed up.”
Jeter came up big in the bottom of the ninth inning. He hit a game-winning single to beat the division-champion Baltimore Orioles.
The excitement of that, he said, was the only thing that kept him from crying in the post-game press conference.
“I don’t know how many times in my career I’ve said please don’t hit it to me,” Jeter said, “but that seemed to be what was going on over and over in my mind, because I really thought I was going to break down.”
“You almost feel as though you’re watching your own funeral.”
“You have people telling you great things, and they’re showing highlights, and you’re reflecting…”
Jeter was met after the game by the men he called his brothers, including former Yankees Manager Joe Torre, and former closer Mariano Rivera.
Jeter’s teammates weren’t able to sneak up on him, but he took the Gatorade bath in stride anyway.
While this isn’t his last game, this is likely Jeter’s final game playing shortstop. Jeter said he will play in Boston this weekend, but he will likely do so as the designated hitter.
