Jeter finishes career with a hit

Hall of Famer brings Yankees, Red Sox together

Associated Press

BOSTON

On the last day of his remarkable career, Derek Jeter performed one final amazing feat.

He brought Yankees and Red Sox fans together.

The rich and often antagonistic rivalry showed its softer side Sunday: A pregame ceremony honoring New York’s retiring captain produced numerous standing ovations from a crowd filled with shirts from both teams. Jeter tipped his helmet to fans when he left the game for a pinch runner in the third inning.

He had no idea that past captains of local pro teams would come out of the Red Sox dugout to embrace him as he stood on the outfield grass just behind shortstop during the ceremony.

“It was hard to envision what would happen because this is a place where we’ve been an enemy for a long, long time,” Jeter said, “and for them to flip the switch this last time coming here made me feel extremely proud.”

One by one, the captains came, starting with Carl Yastrzemski. He was Boston’s left fielder on Oct. 2, 1978 in one of the rivalries’ most memorable games. Captain Carl could only look up as a much-less accomplished Yankees shortstop, light-hitting Bucky Dent, lofted a three-run homer that lifted the Yankees to a 5-4 win in a one-game AL East playoff.

“I started thinking about how great this rivalry has been over the years and all the things that have happened — the playoff games, everything,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “And I don’t know how people could really unite a crowd like he did today.

“I think it shows you the respect he has even against your toughest rival.”

The other former captains who embraced Jeter during the half-hour ceremony were Jason Varitek of the Red Sox, Bobby Orr of the Bruins, Troy Brown of the New England Patriots and Paul Pierce of the Celtics.

Jeter, the designated hitter, waved his cap to a crowd as he left the dugout for his 153rd game at Fenway, including the playoffs, breaking a tie with Lou Gehrig and Mantle for most among Yankees.

It’s the field where the Yankees clinched the AL championship series in 1999 and the AL East title in 2005. It’s also the place where the Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the 2004 ALCS then lost the next two games at Fenway and the series in New York. Boston went on to its first World Series title in 86 years.

Approaching the Yankees dugout after the team’s last at-bat by a player with single-digit uniform number, the 40-year-old who has worn No. 2 since his rookie season lifted his helmet to recognize the cheers and was hugged on the warning track by Mark Teixeira and Brett Gardner. Boston players stood in their dugout and applauded.

The final hit left him with a .310 career batting average, raising it from 30945 to .30951. And it came at Fenway Park, the same field where Mickey Mantle played his finale exactly 46 years earlier.