At 12:55pm on July 9, 2011 Billi Pod was in his usual seat at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, Section 212, row 5, seat 17, and the excitement was palatable. Would this be the game that Derek Jeter gets to the magical 3,000 hit plateau? He would need 2 hits to do it ...
The inner Billi Pod was praying ... please Oh God On High ... please let it happen today. Please please please!!!
Derek led off the bottom of the first inning. Everyone was standing and clapping. On a 3-2 count he hit the ball into left field for 2,999. The stadium went crazy.
One more to go. One more to go. One more to go. Please let it happen. Please let it happen.
Fast forward to the bottom of the 3rd inning. Jeter is announced and everyone rises to their feet, screaming, clapping, yelling, and some ... praying ...
And then it happened ...
At precisely 2:00pm, in the bottom of the 3rd with the count 3-2, The Captain, Derek Jeter, hit a home run into the left field stands, becoming the first Yankee EVER to hit 3,000 hits and only the 28th player in ML history to do it. He becomes only the second player to get his 3,000th hit on a HR.
The place went absolutely crazy. We had witnessed baseball history, made with an improbable home run. This was only Jeter's 3rd home run of the season.
But, as you know, the day wasn’t over for Jeter. In later innings he hit a double and 2 singles, stole a base and then to put the crown on a once-in-a-lifetime experience ... he ... tada ...
Drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 8th inning. The Yankees win 5-4. Un-fucking-believable.
How about this ...
With his second hit of the day, in his second at-bat, Jeter ... No. 2 ... got his 3,000th hit at precisely 2:00pm.
What a day ... folks ... this was every baseball fan’s dream-come-true.
Oh, and I can confirm that John Scott Reed was indeed at the game. I did get to spend some brief time with him and his friend Ashley Zandy, who is a Gator and is from Sebring, FL. Note: I have no clue why my face looks so red in this picture taken by Scott.
Billi Pod was emotionally drained when he finally got back to PHC, around 5:30.
He considered catching a movie but instead ... now don’t be too judgmental ... opted to stay in and watch a replay of the game on YES, which began at 7:00pm.
I LOVE NEW YORK!! I feel so lucky to have been present. I have been thinking about the event and where it ranks in memorable events I have witnessed at Yankee Stadium.
Here are my rankings ...
1. Derek Jeter reaches the 3,000 hit mark. (July 9, 2011)
2. David Cone’s perfect game on “Yogi Berra Day” against Montreal, winning 6-0. (July 18, 1999).
3. Being in the stadium when The Yankees win the final game of the 2009 World Series, winning 7-3 over the Philadelphia Phillies. (November 4, 2009)
4. Aaron Boone’s game winning home run in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox. (October 17, 2003)
5. Alex Rodriguez hits his 600th home run in the game against Toronto. (August 4, 2010)
OK OK OK ... I know this has gone on for too long but let me close out with the front page headlines from this morning’s NYC papers ...
“Jeter Streaks Above 3,000, And It’s a Blast.” New York Times
“3,000! Jeter makes ‘hitstory’ with home run.” NY Post
“3,000 WITH A BANG!” Daily News
Billi Pod will stay in this afternoon and watch the final game of the Tampa Bay series, with our ace CC Sabathia on the mound, and then will catch a movie, LARRY CROWNE, this evening.
GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!
Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”
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