The Day I Met My Idol
(And Almost Had My Family Thrown In The Clink!)
Have you ever dreamt of meeting your idol? You’ve made plans in your head about how amazing the experience was going to be? Well, I have quite the interesting story about when I met my idol — Derek Jeter. Let’s just say this day didn’t turn out the way I had planned, but it was perfect at the same time. It was during this meeting and ever since that Jeter has had a huge impact on my life.
Growing up, I was an avid baseball fan. Rarely, did I miss a Yankees game on TV. My main goal was to get a glimpse of my favorite player and childhood idol — Derek Jeter. I dreamed of making my way to Yankee Stadium to meet Jeter face-to-face. I created elaborate scenarios of our meeting and how amazing the experience would be. Our meeting typically ended with Jeter taking down my information and a great friendship would, of course, follow.
It was finally going to happen. I would be taking a group trip to Yankee Stadium. I eagerly looked forward to going for months, though the countdown felt eternal. This was finally going to be my chance to meet Jeter! I wasn’t exactly sure how I would be able to get close enough to introduce myself, but I knew I was going to meet him this day. Despite my endless dreaming of this occasion, I never thought my actions would result in a very “awkward” situation for my family.
It was the morning of the big day, and I remember waking up oozing with anticipation. It was finally here! Derek Jeter and I would become lifelong friends, and it would be amazing. Dressed in my brand new #2 Yankee home jersey, I was ready to meet my hero.
This was one of the first times I remember driving into the city. Crossing over the George Washington Bridge was terrifying, but I was willing to face my fears for my idol. After what felt like an eternity, the bus took a right turn, and there it was. I felt as if I had just gotten my first look at heaven. Yankee Stadium was finally right in front of me- this was my moment!
Our group arrived at the game quite early, so we had to wait on the lines before they opened the gate. As I walked inside, I was immediately in awe at how massive everything was. The concourse was draped in Yankee history. I was finally here, and it was even better than I imagined. Now it was time to complete my main mission — meet Derek Jeter.
My mother and older brother walked around the stadium with me. I wanted to see everything I could before the game started. We strolled through monument park and took pictures with all the Yankee greats plaques. The players were finally starting to ascend from the dugout to warm up. This is when I saw him. It was my first time seeing Derek Jeter not on a TV screen or in a magazine! He started taking batting practice first and the crowd near the cage was gaining in size.
At this point I was still on the other side of the stadium with my mom and brother. I pleaded with them to try and get closer, maybe even get into the crowd. My plan was within reach and this was finally going to happen. Reluctantly, they walked with me to get a closer look at Jeter.
As we approached the area around the batting cages, we noticed that the large group of people were in a roped off section of the stadium. Additionally, I didn’t have anything for Jeter to sign. I saw the look of disappointment on my mother’s face as she realized I wasn’t going to be able to get down to the field. Was this really going to prevented me from meeting Jeter? It would absolutely not stop me in my mission.
I asked my brother Gary for his hat. Since he was distracted watching the players warm up he gave me his hat without paying much attention. The rope blocking off the restricted area was quite low, but I knew I could make it underneath and make my way through the crowd. So, I made my move. While my brother and mother were distracted, I snuck off and easily slipped underneath the rope blocking the aisle. My solo journey had just begun.
I was far shorter than everyone; so much of my memory consists of people’s elbows in my face. Squeezing my way in-between people was becoming more difficult and the crowd was becoming denser. Fear started setting in.
Meanwhile, back up in the “cheap seats”, my mom was starting to panic when she realized that I was missing. My brother started frantically looking for me, shouting my name hoping I’d hear him. Finally, my mother decided to ask security for help. She told the officer she was positive I was down near the field and that if she could just get down there, I was likely to be found. The officers took this as a ploy for her and my brother to get into the restricted area. My mom repeated that her 9-year-old son was lost and he was definitely down by the field. Security then told my mother that if she and my brother did not leave, and return to their seats, they would be physically removed.
At this point, I was still navigating through the crowd. As I started to see daylight I popped my head up through the crowd. I will never forget this moment until the day I die. Right before my eyes was Derek Jeter. It was like seeing God, only he was wearing a Yankee uniform. My ears went numb, but I saw his mouth move as to say something to me. I’ll never know what he said, but I remember having that hat in my hand and saying, “Mr. Jeter, will you please sign this hat?” I told him how much he meant to me and that this was the best day of my life. As, I turned around to return to my family I froze. I was by myself in a stadium of 50,000 fans! I put my head down and pushed upwards through the crowd. I had to find my family.
My mom and brother were on the cusp of being arrested and escorted out of the stadium. This is when I pushed through the crowd and saw my family. I sprinted over, with my signed cap in hand, screaming with joy. My mother saw me and instinctually started to run towards me. She again explained to the officers that I was her son and how she knew I would be down by the field. The officer verified with me that this was in fact my mom and brother and then chuckled as he apologized to them. I knew I was in a lot of trouble, but I had just lived my dream. I met my idol, Derek Jeter.
As I look back on this meeting and the impact it had on my life, I can’t help but to think of the current state of our country. I believe much of what I learned from Derek Jeter could be utilized by the current generation. This generation seems to be full of unjust and finger pointing. After meeting Jeter, I became obsessed with not only how he played baseball, but more importantly the way in which he lived his life. Jeter taught me a great amount throughout my life, but I’m going to speak about the most important lessons I learned.
Accountability was a cornerstone to the way Jeter lived his life. As Captain of the Yankees, Derek always led by example and would never ask anything he wasn’t willing to do himself. Watching the way he composed himself after loses always had a huge impact on me. Jeter never made excuses and would never blame another player. In the same aspect I learned how to be humble from the way he carried himself after wins. The credit was always given to other players and he was happy to be part of a team win. By him showing me the importance of accountability so young, I was able to use this to further my education and career, and allowed me to become a leader.
Determination was definitely on display throughout Jeter’s career and post career. I can still remember watching him in the many rehabilitation stints that he faced. His focus on his goal and his ability to not give in will always be how I remember those set backs in his life. I myself have gone through many rehabilitations and I can relate to the struggle. These times are just as tough mentally as they are physically. Jeter set and example that tough times don’t last, but tough people do.
Respect is the last and most important lesson I learned from Jeter. This started the day I met him. As one of the most famous athletes on the planet, Jeter made me feel respected and important as a child. He was known to always be very respectful with anyone he came in contact with. New York is a cut throat market and Jeter never had a bad article written about him. The way I saw he treated people had the biggest impact on my life and made me want to be just like him.
As I sit here and realize how much Derek Jeter changed my life since meeting that day, I can’t help but think about today’s generation of kids. I was lucky enough to have an idol that lived life with such high morals. Athletes hold a very high stature in society and Jeter knew and understood this. He used his position to promote strong morals and show how to do things the right way.
It’s been over 20 years since I met Jeter that day at Yankee Stadium. He will finally be enshrined this summer in the baseball Hall of Fame. Through his illustrious career and all the awards won, what I will remember most is how he made me feel that day. A person held with such importance took the time to make my day. At this point we could all learn from his example. Instead of bringing each other down, I think we should be like Jeter. Be accountable for your actions, never give up on your dreams, and treat everyone with respect because God knows that’s what the world needs right now.
