Derek Jeter receives framed Don Zimmer jersey, pinstriped kayak from Rays
As Derek Jeter's final season winds down, only three stops remain on his farewell tour. Wednesday night will mark Jeter's final game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, and on Tuesday the Tampa Bay Rays joined the rest of baseball in honoring Jeter with a series of parting gifts.
In perhaps the most touching presentation during Jeter's final campaign, Don Zimmer's widow Soot Zimmer was joined on the field by Rays veterans Evan Longoria and Jose Molina. Together, they presented Jeter with a framed No. 66 Zimmer jersey, which we're guessing will immediately shoot to the top of Jeter's favorite gifts list.
Soot Zimmer is here. Jeter is being presented with a framed Don Zimmer No. 66 jersey.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 16, 2014
#Rays presentation of a Don Zimmer jersey to Jeter - by Longoria, Molina and Soot Zimmer pic.twitter.com/Y20R0B9WBI
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) September 16, 2014
Zimmer served as Yankees bench coach early in Jeter's career and would become a friend, confidant and mentor to Jeter as he blossomed into a future Hall of Famer. Zimmer, who died June 4, obviously holds a special place in Jeter's heart, and though he was most recently associated with the Rays, he's most often remembered for those years in New York.
The Rays did well to acknowledge that relationship and honor both legends in a heartfelt way.
In addition to that special gift, Jeter was also presented with a pinstriped kayak with his soon-to-be-retired No. 2 on it.
Fortunately for Jeter, he's expected to settle in the Tampa Bay area once his retirement sets in. According to Fox 13, he recently built a mansion on Davis Islands that many refer to as "St. Jetersburg," so he won't have to transport that very far.
Also among the Rays kind offerings was a $16,000 donation to Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation. According to Brendan Kuty of New Jersey Online, the Rays arrived at that number by donating $50 for each of Jeter's career hits (316) against the Rays since they debuted in 1998 and then rounding up to the nearest thousand.
Jeter has now received $345,444.44 in donations for the Turn 2 Foundation from oppositing teams with one road stop left in Boston.
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