By Chris Paradis ’16, Staff Writer

It was the bottom of the 9th inning, in a game tied at 5-5, when Derek Jeter made his last plate appearance at Yankee Stadium. In an iconic moment, Jeter hit a walk-off single to win the game for the New York Yankees. Applauding Jeter with utter enthusiasm, fans across the nation demonstrated the abundance of love and respect Derek Jeter obtained during his career. He upheld the true tenants of the professional athlete, combining extreme skill and competitiveness with class and principles.

The retirement of “The Captain” marks not just the end of an incredible statistical career, but also the “curtain call” for a man who inspired young athletes and fans in such a positive way. Sam Goldenring ’16 commented, “I’ve been a Yankees fan all my life, and therefore have been a Derek Jeter fan all of my life. I can’t imagine the team without him.” Jeter recorded 2,743 games for the New York Yankees; he began his rookie year for the Yankees at 20 years old, and retired at age 40. This commitment to one team is so rare and explains the deep love for him by Yankee fans. He has the 6^th highest hit total, which attests to his incredible talent. However, while these stats support his skill, they only reference a small portion of Jeter’s accomplishments as an athlete.

Derek Jeter earned respect from fans across the U.S. due to his compelling character and reassuring morals. An adamant Red Sox fan, Paige Cooper ‘16 commented, “He was the most respectable player in the game. I could say a ton of bad stuff about the Yankees but I have all good things to say about Jeter.” Jeter was the definition of a class act. His spotless legal record makes him even more extraordinary in today’s world, where player investigations reveal more and more criminal offenses. As Jason Cohen ’16 pointed out, “With so much stuff that has been going on in the news, Jeter’s professionalism stands out even more.”

Jeter served as a constant positive role model in a world of sports that has been damaged by numerous accounts of drug use, domestic violence, and other illegal actions. The reputations of many players have been damaged because of their use of performance enhancing drugs. For instance, fans young and old admired players like Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa; however, it is difficult to continue idolizing such players once they ruin their careers by using performance enhancing drugs and other illegal substances. Ray Rice, the star running back of the Baltimore Ravens, had incredible fan support (I almost had the opportunity to meet him at a party, and remember being very excited). To the dismay of fans nationwide, though, on September 8, 2014, he was released from the Baltimore Ravens. A security camera captured footage of him punching his fiancée in the face. Sadly, this domestic violence incident is not a unique case by any means, as many other assaults have been brought to attention.

The retirement of Derek Jeter marks the end of not only an incredibly talented baseball player, but also the removal of an archetypal professional athlete from an already dwindling pool. As Aman Patil ’17, another Yankees fan, lamented, “(it is) the end of an era.” In explanation, a professional athlete does not just perform well in big games in front of a roaring crowd. He serves as a role model for professionals of all fields of work, including, of course, athletes- especially young ones. Jeter’s example was particularly manifest at Newark Academy, where student-athletes are taught to work hard in all settings and conduct themselves with integrity (of which most pro athletes today cannot claim;) to serve the community and score goals; to hit home-runs and uphold the Honor Code. Derek Jeter will be missed to such a large extent due not only to his incredible achievements as a baseball player, but also to his constant sustaining of the tenants that classify him as a gentleman and a positive role model.