History

So I am back from my own all-star break after enjoying one of the greatest individual performances and achievements that I have ever seen, and what makes it even better is that I witnessed it in person.  Last Saturday, Derek Jeter became the 28th major league baseball player ever to reach 3,000 regular-season hits in his career while also becoming the first Yankee player to achieve such a great milestone.  Up until last Saturday, the greatest individual achievement I had witnessed in person was seeing John Stockton pass Magic Johnson to become the all-time leading assist leader in NBA History with 9,922 assists in 1995.  Stockton would later add on 5,884 assists during the last 8 years of his career which is a record unlikely to ever be broken.

Derek Jeter brought the Yankee fans to their feet
when he got #3,000 and won the game for the Yanks.

So why did Derek Jeter's 3,000 hit moment, which vaulted him into a tie for 27th on the all-time hits list surpass a moment when John Stockton become the all-time leader in assists?  #1 vs #27?  Because the middle-of-the-season baseball game versus the division rival Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday saw the legendary shortstop hit a home run for his 3,000th hit, go 5 for 5 at the plate, and drive in the winning run during the Yankees' last at bat in the bottom of the 8th inning.  Stockton on the other hand, scored his record-breaking assist in the second quarter of a middle-of-the-season basketball game against the then-lowly Denver Nuggets.  Like Jeter, Stockton's record came at home in front of a raucous Jazz crowd.  Out of the gate, John Stockton came out of the gates blazing, scoring assist after assist needing 8 to break the record coming into the game.  Stockton averaged just over 12 assists during the 1994-95, but it was still a possibility that the game could come and go without a new record.  John did not let it happen.  With the Jazz up by 22 in the second quarter, Stockton broke the record on a bounce pass to none other than Karl Malone.  Check the play and the short shorts out here.  The Jazz went on to win by 30+ points.  No in-game drama other than the 2 minute clip above.  It is one of the most amazing record in sports, but...

Jeter had flirted with the possibility of hitting the 3,000 hit mark during the past 4 weeks, which saw him get within 6 hits of 3,000 and then spend 3 weeks on the disabled list.  Since coming off the disabled list last week, the Yankees were only scheduled to have 4 games at home during the next 15 games.  Jeter has become a hero in The Bronx during the past 16 years as he has led the Yankees to 5 world championships, so it was simple: 3,000 had to happen in Yankee Stadium.

The script was perfect on Saturday for history
and a Yankee victory - thanks to the Captain.

After rain washed away the Yankees-Rays game on Friday, the Yankees and their fans were eager to get to the park on Saturday to potentially witness history.  Jeter came into the game with 2,998 hits, and promptly started the game off with a single to left field against young gun, David Price.  Yankee Stadium went dead silent on every pitch to Jeter, gasping at Jeter foul balls, and roaring every time he came to bat or took the field.  After the Captain singled in the first, he came up in the 3rd with the Yankees down 1-0, and belted a 3-2 curveball into the left field stands.  Pandemonium.  Only one other player (former Yankee Wade Boggs) had ever had his 3,000th hit on a home run - as a member of the then Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  Almost 10 minutes passed between the home run pitch to Jeter and the first pitch to the next Yankee hitter.  It was incredible.  Not content with stopping at 3,000, Jeter hit the first pitch of his third at bat down the left field line for a double.  Another eruption.  The crowd was still buzzing and going crazy with any Jeter reference on the scoreboard, in the stands, over the PA system.  The game itself was a back-and-forth battle between two of the better teams in baseball.  So when the Yankees were threatening with the go-ahead run already on base and Jeter came to the plate, everyone in the stadium knew what they wanted to happen, but could Jeter, who had already gone 4 for 4 with a home run, actually get another hit and be the hero of the game - twice?  Absolutely.  Jeter drilled the game-winning single to center field to plate the Yankees 5th run of the day.  The Bronx cheered once again for its Captain.  This time as he pursued the path to another 3,000.

Yankee Manager, Joe Girardi, summed up Jeter's day perfectly by saying, "I don't think you can script it any better.  This is already movie-ready.  It's just remarkable the day that he had."

Joe, I couldn't agree more.  Sorry, John.