OF GEHRIG AND JETER

Lou Gehrig. Derek Jeter. Yankee pride.

Gehrig and Jeter are monuments to what makes the New York Yankees a special franchise, a legendary franchise. They represent an unbroken chain of baseball greatness that stretches across a full century.

Gehrig, the first Yankee captain, led his team to the start of its history of greatness in the 1920s and 30s. He was a native New Yorker, a product of the immigrant streets of the early 20th Century. He played hard, played the game right, never showy, but always great. We all know his story-- 2,130 consecutive games played, triple crown winner, most career grand slams. All cut short by the disease which killed him, ALS, shortly before his 38th birthday. During his time with the Yankees, they won six World Series. The great New York mayor, Fiorello La Guardia called him, "The greatest prototype of good sportsmanship and citizenship."

I never got to see him play. I wish I had.

I have had the privilege of watching Jeter play. Derek Jeter is a throwback to the kind of ballplayer that Gehrig was. He plays hard and plays to win. He's there for his teammates and he never shows up his opponents. He's a nine-time All-Star, a World Series MVP, and All-Star Game MVP, second on the Yankees all-time hits list (and closing in on 3,000 hits), and a four-time World Series winner. He's at his best in October, when the pressure is on and championships are on the line. He holds the record for most postseason hits and runs scored, batting .314 in his postseason career.

Yesterday, he passed Lou Gehrig for most career hits in Yankee Stadium. It was fitting that it happened in the year that they're closing the Big Ballpark in the Bronx, the baseball shrine. Would that the two always remained linked, reminders of the past, present and future greatness of the New York Yankees.