"I almost broke down" Says Jeter on Winning His Last Game as Yankee Shortstop

Aimee Herd : Sep 26, 2014
Mike Lupica – NY Daily News

"I don't know if the cameras were on me close, but there were a couple times I almost broke down. I was almost thinking to myself, 'Joe, get me out of here before I do something to cost us this game.' It's funny how things change, I guess."–Derek Jeter

Yeah, I know it's just baseball, and in the midst of all the dark and disturbing headlines these days, it could seem quite trivial to some. (Photo by: Robert Sabo/NY Daily News)

But somehow last night, I think perhaps even the Lord smiled on Derek Jeter's final game and farewell to his long career as Yankee shortstop, where he quietly earned the respect of pretty much everyone—after all, it did stop raining.

It was the bottom of the ninth, one runner on and the game on the line as the Orioles had tied it up in the top of ninth.

Jeter came to bat, and as he'd done so many times before in Yankee pinstripes, he lined the next pitch through a gap on the right side, and the winning run scored. (Photo by: Robert Sabo/NY Daily News)

The place erupted and Jeter was jumping up and down, arms in the air like a kid, at first base.

"I wouldn't have believed it myself," Jeter said later, according to a NY Daily News report.

"It was above and beyond anything that I've ever dreamt of," he said.

It was one very special ending to a well-respected career.

Even his old teammates and manager (who had all since retired) were there in the dugout to help congratulate Jeter; Joe Torre, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte and Tino Martinez lined up to give him a celebratory hug. (Photo by: Robert Sabo/NY Daily News)

The Kalamazoo, Michigan boy, who had a dream of playing baseball for no one else but the Yankees, worked to make that dream a reality. He joined the Bronx Bombers in 1995, and in '96, he won Rookie of the Year, and helped the team to win the World Series.

It was the first of many for Jeter.

Because of his work ethic and consistency on the field—and his knack for staying out of the spotlight off the field—he quickly became known as captain of the team, though he never wore a "C" on his shirt as do some.

That's probably why Derek's career is so special; it wasn't fraught with scandal or drug problems, fights or money-grabbing... With the exception of dating a few celebrities, his focus was just baseball, and the charitable organization he founded, Turn 2 Foundation, which helps "children and teenagers avoid drug and alcohol addiction and rewards those who demonstrate high academic achievement." (Wikipedia) (Photo by: Robert Sabo/NY Daily News)

Mike Lupica, writing for the NY Daily News summed it up well: It wasn't Ted Williams hitting a home run in his last at-bat at Fenway Park... But it was enough in the bottom of the ninth at Yankee Stadium. It would do. As the people kept chanting his name, and chanting thanks, and making the night impossibly loud on the night when Derek Jeter said goodbye to Yankee fans and they said goodbye to them.

...and he said he didn't know why the fans kept chanting thank you because he'd only ever tried to do his job.

Thank you Captain Jeter—you'll be missed.