When it comes to Derek Jeter’s legacy in The Bronx, there’s simply ‘2’ many moments that stand out since the now-Hall-of-Fame shortstop made his debut in the mid 1990s.
Though, on his first Opening Day, Jeter started things out with a bang…
He and the Bombers would go on to win it all that season, the first of many World Series titles for Jeter — however, he still wanted to work on improving his swing for the top of the Yankees batting order that offseason.
On this day in 1996, George Costanza offered his hitting expertise to Derek Jeter & Bernie Williams in the Bronx.pic.twitter.com/mrQ24UuERt
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) November 21, 2019
Costanza’s equation might even be responsible for Jeter’s Game 4, lead-off home run in the 2000 Subway Series a few Octobers later.
After winning his fourth to ring in the millennium, Jeter still showed heads-up determined baseball — particularly when the Yankees needed it most.
The following season the Yanks trailed the Oakland Athletics 2-games-to-none in the 2001 ALDS and saw trouble in Game 3 after a liner to right field from Terrence Long.
Until…the flip.
It’s shocking to imagine that wasn’t the most memorable play of the Yankees’ 2001 playoff run. No, that moment came in November after the Yankees put up a three-game comeback against the A’s.
The clock struck midnight on November 1, just after the first pitch to Derek Jeter in the 10th inning of Game 4 of the 2001 World Series against Arizona.
Eight pitches later, Mr. November happened.
Two seasons later in 2003, Jeter would start a rally late in Game 7 of the ALCS that would give the Yankees’ current manager the biggest at-bat of his life.
Just remember, that eighth-inning rally started with Jeter’s double off Boston’s Pedro Martinez.
The shortstop would continue to make brilliant plays against Boston the next season in 2004.
That’s when one diving catch made headlines from lines on left on his head.
Although for a few years the Yankees championships slowed, Jeter’s hits certainly continued.
By 2009, Jeter was ready to pass a milestone that generations of Yankees could only dream of.
Jeter and the Yankees would go on to win the World Series a few weeks after that, the most recent in the franchise’s commanding history.
The next season, Jeter suffered a non-baseball related knee injury…details are still unclear.
After a prominent recovery, he still left The Bronx cheering over the next few seasons.
Especially during a particular July game against Tampa in 2011.
Yankee Stadium rang out that day. The sheer, uncontainable excitement met with the pressure of a deadlocked game, which was decided by Jeter’s fifth hit on the way only added to the madness of the Bronx Zoo and legacy of perhaps the greatest shortstop to ever grace the game of baseball.
But no matter how larger than life Jeter became during his Yankees tenure, he never forgot a friend.
And just like that, we’ll never forget you, Derek.
We hope to see your name on 161st Street soon enough.
