Derek Jeter Hits 3000...Literally!

By Sharmaine Jones

Derek Jeter is already having a stellar career but last Saturday he added a monumental notch to his belt: the 37-year-old shortstop joined the 3000-hit club!

With the hit, Jeter is the first player to accomplish the feat, the sixth youngest and the 28th overall player in Major Leagues history to do so. It was befitting that the milestone came at Yankee Stadium but the added pressure to satisfy the home crowd's desire to witness history made the deed much more difficult.

"It was one of those special days." Jeter told usatoday.com. "Coming in, I've been lying to (the press) for a long time saying I wasn't nervous and there was no pressure…I felt a lot of pressure to do it here while we're at home."

The epochal hit, a homerun, tied the game and while running the bases, the crowd chanted "De-rek Je-ter!".  As Jeter passed home plate, he was swarmed and praised by his teammates.

"That was obviously very spontaneous," Jorge Posada told mlb.com. "Everybody ran out there and gave him a big hug. I told him I was proud of him. I got a little emotional because I was so happy for him."

The shortstop could have hung up his glove and called it a day but "Mr. 3000" wasn't done. He went on to finish 5-5 including the game-winner in New York's 5-4 victory over the Rays.

"Only a guy like Derek Jeter," said Alex Rodriguez, "can have a day and a moment and a hit like he had today."

The historic home-run ball was caught by Christian Lopez, of Highland Mills, NY, who unhesitatingly gave the ball to Jeter. When asked why he didn't cash in on the catch, the huge baseball fan simply said:

"Mr. Jeter deserved it," Lopez said. "I'm not going to take it away from him."

Tags 3000 Hits, alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Blogger: Sharmaine Jones, Derek Jeter, New York Yankees