In Derek Jeter’s younger days, when the star shortstop led the New York Yankees to the World Series year after year, he stood as a symbol of Yankee dominance and a source of endless Boston Red Sox frustration.
He was smooth in the field, poised under pressure, and dated models and actresses. Many Sox fans couldn’t stand the sight of him.
But times have changed, and as Red Sox fans eventually celebrated three championships, they began to see their erstwhile nemesis in a more charitable light. This weekend, as Jeter comes to Fenway Park for the final series of a storied Hall of Fame career, many cannot help but extend a grudging respect.
“The fact that we finally won it all took a lot of the edge off,” said Rusty Sullivan, executive director of The Sports Museum, located in the TD Garden. “Since that dynamic changed, he falls into the category of respected opponent.”
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Red Sox fans fiercely believed their shortstop at the time, Nomar Garciaparra, was a better player than Jeter. But as the Yankees won four championships in five years, Jeter nearly always came out on top, earning a reputation as a consummate winner.
KATHY WILLENS
Derek Jeter capped his Yankee Stadium farewell with a game-winning, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Yankees beat the Orioles, 6-5.
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