On this day in 1995, a 20-year-old shortstop named Derek Jeter recorded his first Major League hit.Over the next two decades, Jeter would compile a total of 3,465 hits, sixth most in baseball history.To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Jeter's first hit, Sports Illustrated's Inside The Pinstripes presents you with 25 of the most memorable hits of The Captain's illustrious career. From his first to his last, take a trip down memory land in chronological order to honor the Hall of Famer and one of the greatest to ever play this game.1. Hit No. 1 for No. 2After an 0-for-5 performance in his big-league debut the day prior, Jeter stroked a grounder through the left side of the infield for a single off Seattle's right-hander Tim Belcher.2. First RBI (off The Big Unit)Imagine facing Randy Johnson in just your third game suiting up at the Major League level.For Jeter's third career hit, the shortstop took a fastball from the lefty flamethrower and deposited it into right field for an RBI single, the first run batted in of his career. Johnson went on to win the American League Cy Young Award in '95 with a record of 18-2. He received a no decision in
Anthony Coyle Jersey this start, in part because of Jeter's two-out RBI.3. First hit at Yankee StadiumIt wasn't until Jeter's fifth game of his career that he gave Yankees fans an in-person sneak peek of what was to come.With the California Angels in town, Jeter ripped a ball into the left-field corner, scoring one run to give the Bombers an early 2-1 lead. As he reached second base on the double, it also marked the first extra base hit of Jeter's career in New York.4. First home run (on first Opening Day)Through his first 15 games in 1995, Jeter had yet to hit his first career home run. That changed on Opening Day the following spring. To lead off the top of the fifth in Cleveland, No. 2 turned on a pitch from righty Dennis Martinez, sending it into the left-field bleachers for his first big-league homer. He would go on to hit another 259 in his career in the regular season.5. Only regular season home run in extra inningsAcro s 2,747 regular season games, only did Derek Jeter homer in extra innings it just so happens that home runIn Kansas City, both starting pitchers had twirled nine shutout innings as the game transitioned into the 10th. With Joe Girardi on second, Jeter blasted a fly ball to straight away center field. The Royals center fielder Tom
Chris Wilcox Jersey Goodwin couldn't make the grab as the ball trickled back toward the infield. Jeter rounded the bases for a two-run, inside-the-park homer to give New York the lead.6. First career walk-off hitBy the end of his career, Jeter was known for his late-inning heroics and ability to come up big in the clutch. That began down the stretch in '96.Against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, Jeter stepped up with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 10th. The game was tied at 11.With two strikes, Jeter laced a single right back up the middle to secure the victory for the Bombers. Wade Boggs, another future Hall of Famer, scored on the play.7. Jeffrey Maier home runIn Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS, the Yankees were down 4-3 in the eighth inning to the Baltimore Orioles. With Armando Benitez on the mound, Jeter skied a fly ball to deep right, approaching Yankee Stadium's short porch. Right fielder Tony Tarrasco reached up to make the grab but a young fan Jeffrey Maier reached for the ball as it caromed off his glove and into the first row of the bleacher seats. Did Maier reach over the
Zaire Franklin Jersey wall? Perhaps a replay review would have changed the call. Either way, Jeter had his first postseason homer.8. All-Star Game MVPStarting at shortstop and hitting second in the 2000 All-Star Game, Jeter went 3-3, squaring up base hits off Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown and Al Leiter. Coincidentally, each of those three NL All-Star hurlers would eventually end up as Jeter's teammates in the Bronx.9. Leadoff homer in Subway SeriesOn the very first pitch of Game 4 of the 2000 World Series, Jeter went deep.No. 2 sent a fastball from Mets' starter Bobby Jones into the seats at Shea Stadium to give the Bombers an early lead, one they wouldn't relinquish. New York went on to win the World Series the next game, Jeter's fourth in a span of five seasons. He was recognized as the 2000 World Series MVP.10. Mr. November wins Game 4In a game that began on October 31, the clock had struck midnight by the time Jeter stepped into the box in the bottom of the tenth frame.With Diamondbacks' closer Byung-Hyun Kim on the mound, the shortstop belted a full-count pitch to the opposite field, clearing the short porch in right to give the Yankees a 4-3 win (and himself a new nickname).11. Only regular season walk-off home runJeter blasted only one walk-off home run in the regular season in his entire career and it came shortly after the 2005 campaign began.In the bottom of the 9th off Keith Foulke, Jeter went to the opposite field for a solo shot to clinch a 4-3 win over the rival
Tony Brown Jersey Red Sox.12. First and only grand slamAfter eclipsing the 10-year anniversary of his MLB debut, Jeter still had never hit a grand slam.In an interleague matchup with the Chicago Cubs at Yankee Stadium, Jeter delivered with the bases loaded. A no-doubt homer to the power alley in left-center field was his first grand slam of his career he would never accomplish the feat again.13. All-Star Game at Yankee StadiumIn front of the home crowd, in an emotional send-off to the cla sic Yankee Stadium, Jeter got on base in his first at-bat.Starting at shortstop and hitting second in the American League's order, Jeter looped a softly hit line drive to the right side of the infield. A tough hop had the ball evade the glove of second baseman Chase Utley, allowing The Captain to reach.Scroll to Continue14. Final hit in old Yankee StadiumJeter wound up with 1,274 hits in the old Yankee Stadium. It's only fitting that the final base hit of his tenure in The House That Ruth Built was a single to right field. Before going hitle s in the Yankees final two contests at Yankee Stadium in 2008, Jeter grounded a base knock through the right side in the bottom of the fifth of a 3-2 Yankees victory.15. Jeter pa ses Lou GehrigWith Jeter's 2,722nd hit, The Captain pa sed all-time Yankees great Lou Gehrig on the leaderboard for the most hits in franchise history. As is typically the case, Jeter reached on a sharply hit line drive to the right side this time over the first base bag down the line to clinch the historic milestone. 16. 11 hits in 2009 World SeriesEn route to his fifth and final World Series title, Jeter set a new personal best for hits in a single postseason series (out of a total of 33 total series in his vast playoff career). In six games against the Phillies, Jeter tallied 11 hits, posting a .407 batting average.In a decisive Game 6, when the Bombers clinched at Yankee Stadium, Jeter had three hits his third multi-
Matthew Adams Jersey hit game of the series. 17. 3,000
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