Jeter Honored with Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award

9/24/2014

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig presented New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter with the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award on Tuesday. The presentation was made at Yankee Stadium, prior to the Club's home game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Jeter is the 15th recipient of the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award, which was created in 1998 to recognize accomplishments and contributions of historical significance. The most recent recipient was Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, who was recognized on September 5th of this year. Jeter's longtime teammate Mariano Rivera received the honor during the 2013 World Series.

Jeter will retire as Major League Baseball's all-time leader in Postseason hits (200), runs scored (111), doubles (32), extra-base hits (57) and total bases (302). His five World Series Championships are the most among all of his active peers. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Jeter's personal winning percentage of .593 (1,626-1,114-2) is the highest among all active players with at least 1,000 career games.

The 14-time All-Star's play in the Postseason includes many of the most iconic moments of his era, including his walk-off "Mr. November" home run in Game Four of the 2001 World Series; the "Flip Play" at home plate in Game Three of the 2001 American League Division Series; and his MVP-winning performance in the 2000 Subway World Series. Among players with at least 100 at-bats in the Fall Classic, Jeter's .321 career batting average trails only Hall of Famers Lou Gehrig (.361), Eddie Collins (.328) and Babe Ruth (.326). The shortstop ranks sixth in career hits (3,460).

Commissioner Selig said: "Derek Jeter has been a champion in every way throughout his 20-year Major League career, always representing the best of our National Pastime. As one of the most accomplished shortstops of all-time, Derek's ability to rise to the occasion on our grandest stages will be remembered forever. Generations of fans have emulated the Yankee captain proudly, and I know of no one in sports today who has met that responsibility with more grace than Derek has for the last two decades."

The Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award is a trophy standing 12 inches tall, including a sterling silver base with a baseball mounted at the top. The words "Commissioner's Historic Achievement" are engraved around the base of the trophy with the Major League Baseball silhouetted batter logo above the type.

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