More Yankee Scandal

Remember last year when Jeter was being coy about what keepsake he was going to take from Yankee Stadium? Harvey Araton has the goods:

Derek Jeter came clean Wednesday night. He pilfered the Joe DiMaggio sign, as I suspected.

When I had last seen Jeter before covering the kickoff party to his celebrity golf classic for his Turn 2 Foundation at the Saddlebrook Resort about a half-north of here, he had refused comment on the famous sign (“I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee”) in the tunnel leading to the Yankees dugout that went missing soon after their last Stadium home game.

A clue on his intentions had come earlier that night, when he said he had his eye on a particular Stadium keepsake but wouldn’t say which. After the game and on-field celebration, I noticed the sign was missing and told him, “I know what you’re taking out of here,” and I asked if I could report it.

He shook his head and replied, “In due time.”

Four months later, he admitted he had taken the sign, and another item or two.

Look, I know he’s the Cap’n and all of that, but why does he get the sign? If it was a fixture of the stadium, doesn’t it belong to the city? If it belongs to the team, hasn’t he done to the Yankees what Ruben Rivera did to him? Either way, isn’t that sign pretty valuable and, you know, not his?

One hopes that either an invoice or a large charitable donation with Jeter’s name on it comes to pass pretty soon.


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Richard in Dallas
15 years ago

Seems to me that something that unique would be best kept in Cooperstown.  Maybe they can work a deal where he doesn’t get a plaque unless they get the sign…..

Kenny
15 years ago

Why does the “Captain” get to decide if the reporter reports about this? It isn’t some off the record quote.

I can’t wait until “The Jeter Years” comes out.

YankeesfanLen
15 years ago

Awwwwwww…….leave Derek alone, he has enough problems with the A-Rod stalkings.

Repoz
15 years ago

The Yankees have already replaced the sign (I imagine the team/Jeter knew about this all along and ok’d his taking it) in the new haunt.

Scroll way down for the new version.

http://channelingharrydoyle.fullcountpitch.com/?p=224

BillyBeaneismyHero
15 years ago

Arrest him!  He should fry what he’s done!  I’m sure nothing will happen though.  He’ll get away because he’s Jeter.  If Jason Giambi or A-Rod had stolen that plaque, there would be an angry mob of Yankee fans from Jersey wearing beer stained wife beaters accumulating outside of their houses with torches.

blaze
15 years ago

For the rest of his days, Jeter should have to take white roses to Marilyn’s mausoleum on the anniversary of her death. Joltin’ Joe would approve.

Grant
15 years ago

Should’nt they have moved it to the new stadium? Or yeah, Cooperstown?

Jeter annoys me.

GBS
15 years ago

It doesn’t bother me that he took it, it’s the freakin’ double standard of how Jeter is treated compared to A-Rod, Ruben Rivera, whoever.  But he knows how to appeal to the media – calling Joe Torre “Mr. Torre” and the like – that endear him to reporters and fans.

Jimmy P
15 years ago

Why does the “Captain” get to decide if the reporter reports about this?

Who said the reporter had to follow what Jeter said?

If it was a fixture of the stadium, doesn’t it belong to the city?

Didn’t the Yankees own the Original Yankee Stadium?

Craig Calcaterra
15 years ago

Jimmy—nope, the City of New York owns old Yankee Stadium.