Derek Jeter has his 3,000-hit ball and he didn’t have to do anything to get it.
New York Yankee fan Christian Lopez came up with the special home run ball in the left-field stands, one of five Jeter hits on the day. Lopez could have held out for big money, but instead, asked for nothing.
AUDIO: Lopez said he wanted to simply give the ball back to Jeter :18
Lopez received a lot more than nothing. Without asking for a thing, the Yankees gave the 23-year-old fan three bats, three balls and two jerseys signed by Jeter, who became the 28th Major League Baseball player to have 3,000 career hits.
The Yankees also gave Lopez four Champions Suite tickets for their remaining 31 regular-season home games and any playoff games. The total package is valued around $70,000.
In most parts, unless you’re a Yankees fan, you grow to dislike the team. Their ability to outspend every team in baseball has no doubt turned fans against them.
Now, if you can put that aside for one moment, what a classy move by the team. Christian Lopez asked for nothing in exchange for returning the 3,000-hit ball. Yet the Yankees went above and beyond to reward Lopez for his good deed.
To put this in perspective, what do you think the Brewers would cough up if a fan were to voluntarily return Ryan Braun’s (hypothetical) 3,000-hit ball? Or think if a similar milestone with the Packers. If a fan gained possession of a major piece of history and volunteered to give it back, what would the Packers throw at them?
Certainly the Yankees can afford to cough up the reward, more so than the Brewers and Packers put together. But Wow!!!! They certainly went above and beyond.
Most thought this ball was headed for auction. But Christian Lopez pulled the biggest upset in some time by doing what he thought was the right thing and credit the Yankees for rewarding him.