FanPost Friday: Who was your childhood baseball hero?

This Sunday, the Yankees will retire Derek Jeter’s number in a Hall of Fame ceremony, forever etching him into the wall of legends that lives just behind New York’s centerfield wall. I, like fans across the country, have felt a lot of things this week, but they can mostly be boiled down to a hybrid of nostalgia and melancholy.

I grew up just on the outskirts of the Bronx and every Sunday would hop on the 4 Train, faded Jeter jersey on my back, and watch as my hero became one of baseball’s favorite narratives. I refused to wear any number but “2” with my Little League teams. I spend hours practicing the infamous jump throw in my backyard. A baseball player had lit the same fire in me that Thurman Munson had in my father. I know I’m not alone in witnessing this phenomenon, but I also know that not everyone had this experience.

As universal as Derek Jeter was, he didn’t stick like that to the heart of every single child in America. Or every adult even.

So fans, this week we’re asking you about your stories. Who was your Derek Jeter? Was it Chipper Jones or Ken Griffey Jr.? Maybe it was A-Rod pre-pinstripes. As always, head on over here to write your post and you could see your name in shinning lights on our home page. Happy writing!