11 Chapter 10 A New Chapter

Chapter 10 A New Chapter In 2012, the Yankees reached the American League Championship Series. In the twelfth inning of Game One, Derek dove for a grounder. His left ankle twisted as he fell. It was broken.

Derek was out for the Series. And without Derek, the Tigers swept the Yankees. It was a long recovery. Derek missed the first few months of the 2013 season. Then came more injuries. Every other season, Derek had played about 150 games. That year he played seventeen. Derek was turning forty. Clearly, he was slowing down. He used the time off to think. He was still playing shortstop, a position that required energy and razor-sharp skills. Baseball had always been fun. No matter how hard he worked, it had never seemed like a job. Now, for the first time, it did. On February 12, 2014, Derek posted on his Facebook page, "The 2014 season will be my last year playing professional baseball." Derek Jeter was retiring. For over two decades, Derek had lived and breathed baseball. He didn't marry. He didn't finish college. In the post, Derek talked about how he gave his all for the sport. How he wanted time now. Time to start a family. See the world. Have a summer vacation. "I have

gotten the very most out of my life playing baseball," he wrote, "and I have absolutely no regrets." What would he do next? In his last season, Derek started Jeter Publishing, with a plan to publish all sorts of books, sports books included. There's still work to be done with Turn 2, helping Sharlee, who's president. And who knows? There might be another World Series ring in Derek's future. This time, as an owner. "That's the next goal," he told a reporter. "Calling the shots." Meanwhile, the 2014 season became Derek's farewell to baseball. One New York newspaper ran a "this day in Jeter history" for every date. Teams honored Derek when he played at their ballparks.

When the Mets and Yankees played, the Mets gave Derek a $22,222.22 check for Turn 2, and a New York City subway tile mosaic. In Oakland, the video tribute did not include Derek's famous "flip" play. That was okay with Derek. "I'm sure they've all seen it," he said. The tributes went on and on. At the end of the season, the Yankees honored their captain by wearing Derek Jeter patches. Their last home game, on September 25, was declared Derek Jeter Day. That night it was supposed to rain. There was a chance the

historic game would be postponed. But the skies stayed clear. Derek admitted he felt nervous. The Yankees were done for the season. Everything and everyone would be focused on him. He was so rattled, he forgot to put on his elbow guard for an at bat. Yet once again, Derek came through. In the bottom of the ninth, with the score tied, Derek stepped up to the plate. It was his last at bat at Yankee Stadium. Ever.

He drove the ball into right field for a single, bringing the runner home and winning the game. In seconds, Derek was mobbed by teammates. The opposing Orioles stood and cheered. The fans had been cheering all night long, chanting, "Thank you, Derek." At the end, Derek said he didn't need to be thanked. He was just doing his job. It was the fans who should be thanked. Now the Jeter era is over. The man who's been called "Jetes," "DJ," "Captain Clutch,"