It has been a long time since I have last reflected on baseball. I must admit I have lost touch with this great game since moving to Mexico, but tonight I came home reading that Jeter had moved to 3rd highest all-time hit list of my former beloved NYY. Tonight, the "franchise" shortstop and captain had a single in the third inning of the game vs the Blue Jays which was his 2,416th hit. Unassumingly, or so it seems from Aztecolandia, it moved Jeter into third place on the Yankees’ career list, ahead of Mickey Mantle. The two Yankees left ahead of Jeter are Lou Gehrig (2,721) and Babe Ruth (2,518).
It´s hard to put that into perspective. You have to drown yourself into a century of history of a game and into 9 chapters of
Ken Burns´ Baseball to truly understand what an incredible achievement that is. As with most things that develop over so many years and on a daily basis, it is hard to fathom the longevity and consistency it takes for a ball player to fail to hit roughly 2/3 of the time that ball coming from a variety of angles, movements and speed...
I find sweet pleasure and comfort acknowledging the achievement of such a man. It seems as if it reconciles me, if only for a brief moment, with an intrinsic part of the American soul and my past. Memories of many hours spent in the ballpark in the Bronx with many a dear friend (especially Rob - aka my Bantu brother, and Joie - NYY´s most knowledgeable fan) pop in my mind. It is a simple and almost cliché story, but I could care less for I am grateful.
T -
