Whether it was the year 1921 when the Babe arrived at the House that Ruth built or the year 1940 when “Leo the Lip”Durocher ( a St. Louis Gashouse Gang shortstop). arrived atEbbets Field, saying “Nice guys finish last”
II
For our brainy readers may your ex knothole kid throw into your considered cyber space orbit, a better hitting and fielding short stop on the planet…
“Born to be a Yankee”
III
“How does it feel after 20 years playing shortstop. To take off the pinstripes for the last time?”
“I’ll be honest with you,” said the 40 year old El Capitan ,taking a heroic stance, playing his last game for the Yankees: adream stretching from the age of three, playing for the pin stripes of Ruth, in the Bronx.…
”I’ m the luckiest man o n the face of this Earth,” said Lou Gehrig…… Joe DiMaggio and the 54 hitting steak, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris’s 61 homers into the future and maestrofather figure Joe Torre’s 5 World Championships since.…..
IV
The love pouring out from the fans as el Capitan, with hisJeterian swing, hit the game winning run, with man on second.The Orioles tying the game with a homer, top of the 9th..
No words could ascribe Frank Capra’s “It’s a wonderful life”. Or“Mister Jeterr, we’ve been waiting or you,” said the High Llama at 125 years old, waiting g for the Captain to arrive at the Hall of Fame (Shangri-la) in Capra’s ”Lost Horizon”.
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Where could Ted Williams …two wars, have a heroic stance like Jeter’s…Stan the Man Musial with his harmonica….Willie Mays as the “Say hay kid” with the Giants? Hank Aaron and hisepic record of four baggers.
Jackie Robinson breaking the color line……Derek Jeter passing Roger Wagner in hits….in the immortal orbit of Ty Cobb, PeteRose, “Tri” Speaker….
In our lifetime…….the miracle of the dream fades out at Red Sox’s Boston, the Captain’s moisture over his eyes (“I’ll be honest with you”), tipping his cap to those humans called fanswho love him : not at all ashamed for Leo the Lip’s cynicism
“Nice guys finish first”.
September 25, 2014 Yankee Stadium, last game in pin stripes forCaptain and shortstop Derek Jeter ‘s #2