Derek Jeter and 3,000 Hits

I am a life-long New York Yankees baseball fan. I even liked them in the early 1970s when they did not win a championship for a decade.
       I certainly do not like everything the Yankees do or what they represent sometimes - huge payrolls, major egos, some prima dona players. Yankee pitcher Sparky Lyle called the Yankees "the Bronx Zoo" in the 1970s.
       So when Derek Jeter hit his 3,000th hit today (a home run no less), I thought about his career not as much for his accomplishments on the field but rather that he has gained the respect of fans and players alike. To quote a friend who is a Boston Red Sox fan, "Jeter is a class act." I agree.
       3,000 hits is an amazing feat - it takes endurance and the willingness to work on your hitting all the time. Jeter has done that, so my hat is off to him.
       My hat is off to him all the more for (seemingly at least) maintaining his integrity on a team and in a town which does not value that too much. He is the captain for a reason - and not because he has 3,000 hits.