Boy, there’s just no way to have the next sentence sound unbiased …
I think baseball highlights are the best of any sport.
Gunning guys out at the plate, crazy slides, full extension dives in the outfield, there’s just something about the greatest baseball plays that I find more … fantastical? … than other sports.
Among the most popular types of baseball highlights is the dive into the stands. Fans go absolutely crazy for these plays. The athlete is usually giving 110% effort and putting his body on the line, while the fans get catch and congratulate their favorite players.
In 2004, Derek Jeter made one of the most exciting plays for the Yankees against their longstanding rival, in a game that mattered, in the 12th inning, and it drew blood. Remember “The Dive”? Check it out:
Before we even address the dive into the stands, can you believe how well he tracked that ball? He ran an extremely long way to make the catch, running at full speed. It wasn’t a traditional dive into the stands, but there’s no question he couldn’t have entirely slowed himself down before reaching the wall.
And then The Dive happens. Jeter goes head first into a pile of fans after making a phenomenal catch against the freakin Red Sox. The play has lasted in our memories for a reason.
People have long debated how good Derek Jeter actually is, and I think that debate is legitimate. However, I don’t think anyone can doubt his effort, leadership and importance to the game of baseball. His slick moves at shortstop? That’s all gravy.