Derek Jeter is one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform. Arguably, he’s the greatest ballplayer in the history of the Nee York Yankees. His induction to the Baseball Hall Of Fame is nothing but worthy for a player of his caliber. For most writers—whether they voted for the H.O.F or not—his entry to Cooperstown should’ve been unanimous. This won’t be the case however, as one man decided the former shortstop wasn’t worthy of the hall and didn’t vote for him.
Dear anonymous writer, you have ruffled the feathers of every baseball fan on the face of the earth.
By The Numbers
Derek Jeter’s numbers are as impeccable as the number he wore on his back. He hit for a lifetime average of .310, 260 home runs and 1311 RBI. With that comes an entire library of spectacular plays as well. The flip, the assist, effortless spins and an infield range that only deteriorated thanks to a broken ankle.
His hardware collection would make any Home Depot manager jealous. He was a 14-time All-Star and 1996’s AL Rookie Of The Year. His ability at the plate was rewarded with five Silver Sluggers. So were his outstanding defensive skills with a handful of Golden Gloves. Number 2 was retired by the Yankees in 2017 and “Derek Jeter Day” was celebrated in his honor. His actions off the field speak as loud as his numbers.
Jeter The Gentleman
Have you ever met someone who disliked Derek Jeter? Those kinds of people are tough to find. Mostly because Mr. Jeter was liked by virtually everyone. Red Sox fans had their moments over almost twenty years to boo him. That was to be expected from the most bitter rivals in baseball. But even they stood up and cheered for him during his last game at Fenway Park. He deserved nothing less.
The 45-year-old was a true gentleman of the sport. He never looked down on anyone, he never charged the mound, mainly because no one even had a reason to go after him in the first place. The New Jersey native also devoted his entire career to a single organization, something almost unimaginable these days. So, how could this unknown man not vote for him to the Hall Of Fame?
Dear #397, You Blew It
For now, the answer to that question is still unknown and the identity of voter #397 remains a mystery as well. What he or she did doesn’t speak very brightly about whoever checked that ballot. This is silly, and quite frankly, it’s borderline stupid. Ask any baseball fan to name their top 10 players of all time and Derek Jeter will show up in most cases and for good reason. There’s not a single negative adjective for Jeter’s playing career. Someone just went “Oh to hell with it” and denied him unanimity just to spoil the party.
Enjoy your privacy dear voter #397. We’ll call you Jim Joyce jr, for now.