New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter accomplishes 3000 in style – MLB News
On Saturday, July 9, Derek Jeter became the 28th player in baseball history to reach 3000 hits and the first player from the New York Yankees.
Jeter is the first of the 1539 Yankees to reach this milestone and he reached there in style as he unleashed a home-run off David Price in the third inning of the game against Tampa Bay Rays.
Jeter’s initial celebration was a clap of the hands when he saw the ball reaching the stands. Casey Kotchman, first baseman for Tampa Bay Rays became the first to acknowledge Jeter’s feat, doffing his cap as the legend crossed him. Jeter could not hold on
to emotions when he touched the home-plate and was immediately embraced by Jorge Posada.
Standing in cheers from the luxury stand were Charles Jeter and Minka Kelly, Jeter’s father and girlfriend. Both of them did not have words to describe their emotions and “happiness” is all what they could describe it as.
Jeter has recorded all 3000-hits in the Yankee uniform and is only the 14th player in history to do so with the same team. He also became the fourth youngest player in history to reach the landmark aged 37 years and 13 days.
Alex Rodriguez, Jeter’s team-mate at the Yankees, praised him of accomplishing this record in the same uniform. He said, “To be able to do it in one uniform, I've said it all along, 3,000 hits in a Yankee uniform, for me, is like getting straight A's at
Harvard.”
David Price, however much he wanted to, could not stay away from being part of history. He showed his resentment by falling on one knee as soon as the hit came off Jeter’s bat in the third inning. Price nonetheless was quick to acknowledge that Jeter is
one of the best players ever to play baseball and he had to do it off somebody. Price said that he was unlucky that it came off him and that he will be remembered for long but regrettably on the wrong side.
Jeter had been constantly denying pressure and nervousness finally broke out after the match when he admitted that it was actually very intense out there. Doing it at the home was an added pressure. Jeter commented that Friday’s washout had left him only
with two days to accomplish the feat at home, following which the Yankees have to play eight games on the road.
With “DJ 3K” echoing in Yankee Stadium as Jeter came out at-bat, it seemed almost inevitable that the 3000th hit was coming, the style however was not expected by many as this was his first home-run at home in over a year.
To Jeter’s joy, he did not stop at 3000 and went on to win the game for the Yankees with his 3003rd hit. His tremendous era does not seem to end any time soon.
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