Example of Selflessness by Young Man Who Caught Derek Jeter's 3,000th Hit Ball

Aimee Herd : Jul 12, 2011
Joe Perez – The Bulletin

"Too often it's all about me-me-me, or how my kid is the next great thing. Lost in the shuffle are the Christian Lopezes of the world." –Joe Perez

Twenty-three-year-old Christian Lopez seems to have his name all over the news lately. The media seem to be impressed by none other than his graciousness.

Writing for The Bulletin, Joe Perez notes that "we should all learn" from Lopez' actions in doing the "right thing" for the "purity of the sport" when he leaned over his seat in Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon and caught the ball that was Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit of his career.

No doubt Lopez knew the value of that leather-wrapped, stringed sphere—upwards of $250,000 some estimate—but Lopez explained at the post-game press conference that the moment was all Jeter's, including the baseball. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Just a year out of college, cell phone salesman Christian Lopez didn't try to hold out for some sort of price but was happy to give the ball back to the one who'd hit it and accomplished such a great achievement.

He asked for nothing in return.

Yankee owners, the Steinbrenner family were moved by Lopez' gracious generosity and gave him a gift anyway; four tickets in the priciest seats for every remaining home game through the postseason, according to Perez' report.

There were those who apparently didn't share Lopez' feelings about the caught ball and they made their opinions known on sports radio discussions, berating him for giving up a chance at a fortune.

But, I have to agree with Bulletin writer Joe Perez in his assessment…

"Too often it's all about me-me-me, or how my kid is the next great thing. Lost in the shuffle are the Christian Lopezes of the world.

"If a stadium with more than 48,000 fans, and those who hear this story, learn to act selflessly when the world tells you otherwise, we'll all be better.

"What we should learn from Lopez doesn't just apply to sports, but in life. Do some good and maybe some good will come back to you."

Derek Jeter got his 3,000th hit (the only Yankee to do so) with the home run that Lopez caught. He ended the game having gone 5 for 5 with the game-winning RBI.

It was a great day for Jeter, and Lopez' kindness was a fitting way to top it off.