I guess as a devout and crazed Yankee fan since 1960, I should comment on the Derek Jeter extravaganza of 2014. And what surprises me about him. Actually, what doesn't surprise me about him.
First of all, I hate when fans of various ball clubs assert that they are the most knowledgeable baseball fans in the world. Yankee fans cling to that illusion, which is nothing but pure Narcissism--Yankee fans are no smarter or dumber than Red Sox, Mets, Cardinals, Astros, or Pirate fans.
However, this I will say to the credit of Yankee fans. No player has been more adored than Derek Jeter, but he isn't even close to being the best Yankee player ever (although he was their best all-around shortstop). A less than complete list of superior Yankees would include Mantle, DiMaggio, ARod (sorry, yes!), Berra, Ruth, Gehrig, Winfield, Dickey, Munson, Jackson, Mattingly, Collins--not to mention all the great pitchers such as Ford, Guidry, Clemens, Rivera, Gomez among others.
Jeter's value, of course, was the total package of his talent, leadership, presence, enthusiasm, and respect. No other Yankee embodied all those qualities in their entirety the way Jeter did. For that I credit Yankee fans for seeing beyond the stat sheet and endowing Jeter with the halo of immortality.
But then, it was easy to see during Jeter's retirement tour this season that the Jeter aura and appreciation extended to the fans and players in the ball parks where he competed. So it wasn't just about being knowledgeable Yankee fans, it was about being knowledgeable baseball fans.
First of all, I hate when fans of various ball clubs assert that they are the most knowledgeable baseball fans in the world. Yankee fans cling to that illusion, which is nothing but pure Narcissism--Yankee fans are no smarter or dumber than Red Sox, Mets, Cardinals, Astros, or Pirate fans.
However, this I will say to the credit of Yankee fans. No player has been more adored than Derek Jeter, but he isn't even close to being the best Yankee player ever (although he was their best all-around shortstop). A less than complete list of superior Yankees would include Mantle, DiMaggio, ARod (sorry, yes!), Berra, Ruth, Gehrig, Winfield, Dickey, Munson, Jackson, Mattingly, Collins--not to mention all the great pitchers such as Ford, Guidry, Clemens, Rivera, Gomez among others.
Jeter's value, of course, was the total package of his talent, leadership, presence, enthusiasm, and respect. No other Yankee embodied all those qualities in their entirety the way Jeter did. For that I credit Yankee fans for seeing beyond the stat sheet and endowing Jeter with the halo of immortality.
But then, it was easy to see during Jeter's retirement tour this season that the Jeter aura and appreciation extended to the fans and players in the ball parks where he competed. So it wasn't just about being knowledgeable Yankee fans, it was about being knowledgeable baseball fans.
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