How Jeter Brought Out The Best in President Bush

In between innings of the Mets-Phillies game, I watched the 2004 HBO Documentary Nine Innings From Ground Zero.

The documentary analyzes how the 2001 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks helped bring back a sense of normalcy to New York City in the wake of the September 11th attacks.

You will undoubtedly remember Game 3 of the 2001 World Series where President Bush threw out the first pitch which turned out to be a perfect strike. What you might not know (and I didn't know) is that while practicing his throw he met with Derek Jeter. The Yankees shortstop, having heard that he would throw out the first pitch, asked Bush if he would be throwing from the mound or in front of the mound. President Bush said he would be throwing from the front of the mound. Jeter advised Bush against such a move stating that he would be booed. After all this was Yankee Stadium. Bush agreed to heed the advice of "the great Derek Jeter."

As Jeter is leaving he looks over his shoulder and tells President Bush, "Don't bounce it. They'll boo you." Bush confessed to being nervous but the Yankee Stadium crowd chanting "U.S.A.!!! U.S.A.!!!" helped him overcome those jitters to throw a perfect pitch.

How so far removed we are from those days.

But Jeter did give President Bush some good advice though.