Thursday, September 25, 2014

Farewell to The Captain

  I became a Yankees fan in the days of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Whitey Ford. I'm sure that I saw their last games, though I doubt that we even realized at the time that that's what they were.

   Certainly they did not go out in a storybook ending like Derek Jeter did this evening.
  The Yankees are up 5-2 in the top of the ninth inning. Suddenly, the usually-reliable David Robertson gives up two home runs and the game is tied. The first Yankee batter in the bottom of the inning singles and is bunted over to second base.
  Up comes Derek... and he promptly singles to right field and drives in the winning run for a walk-off victory.
  If they did it in a movie, everyone would complain, "What a cliche!" And yet, there it is.

  As I grew up with Mickey in the outfield, Whitey pitching and Yogi behind the plate, a generation of fans will remember growing up in a time when Derek was always the shortstop.
  And fifty years from now, they'll be watching some future hero finish his career and say, "I remember when Derek Jeter retired."

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