NewsJeter receives charitable award
Yanks shortstop earns $100,000 toward Turn 2 Foundation
By Tim Britton / MLB.com
11/13/09 8:04 PM EST
NEW YORK -- It's been a busy 10 days for Derek Jeter.Fresh off his fifth World Series title, Jeter has already procured a fourth Gold Glove and fourth Silver Slugger this offseason. On Friday at the ESPN Zone in Times Square, he picked up a $100,000 check for his Turn 2 Foundation to culminate a season-long competition with Mets' third baseman David Wright.
The Delta Jeter/Wright Batting Challenge pitted the two New York baseball icons in a contest to see who would emerge with a better batting average in 2009. Although Wright led the race through the first four months of the season, Jeter's sweltering finish to the season -- the shortstop batted .358 the last two months of the year -- propelled him to victory.
For the season, Jeter hit .334 compared to Wright's .307.
"This was a fun challenge," Jeter said. "I got the opportunity to know David this past spring when we were playing in the World Baseball Classic. Not only is he a great player, but it's so refreshing to see one of the younger guys come up and start a foundation of their own.
"This is a competition where neither of us could lose."
Jeter was right on that account, with Delta also presenting a $50,000 check to the David Wright Foundation, accepted on Wright's behalf by Greg Holcomb, the president of the foundation.
After receiving the check and a "trophy" of a Delta plane taking off, Jeter posed for photos with six students from New York who participate in Turn 2's "Jeter's Leaders" program.
"This benefits not only the kids in New York, but also down in Tampa and in the Western Michigan area," Jeter said. "You're in this position; you try to impact people's lives for the positive."
Tim Britton is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
