Sports Illustrated names Jeter Sportsman of the Year

Last update: November 30, 2009 - 9:47 PM

Derek Jeter was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, the first Yankees player to be tapped for the award that has been given out since 1954.

"It's unbelievable. It was completely unexpected. It came out of the blue," Jeter told the Associated Press during a break in the photo shoot for the award. "When I heard it, what can you say? It's one of the greatest honors you can achieve in sports."

All business between the lines, the 10-time All-Star shortstop has become one of the untarnished ambassadors in the steroids era of baseball through steady play and quiet leadership on and off the field.

"This verifies my idea that he is on the level of [Babe] Ruth and [Lou] Gehrig," Sports Illustrated Group editor Terry McDonell said. "He's the greatest shortstop in the history of the game."

Some other baseball players to win the award are Sandy Koufax (1965), Tom Seaver (1969), Cal Ripken Jr. (1995); and the recent nemeses of Jeter's teams, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling (2001), and the Boston Red Sox (2004). Swimmer Michael Phelps won the award last year.

Caray out at TBS

Chip Caray has called his final game for TBS. Network spokesman Jeff Pomeroy said TBS and its lead baseball announcer have decided to part ways.

A son of late Braves broadcaster Skip Caray and a grandson of famed broadcaster Harry Caray, Chip Caray had called first-round playoff games for TBS during the past three seasons. He also was part of the network's Sunday regular-season package.

Etc.

• Chicago White Sox third baseman Mark Teahen won the 2009 Hutch Award for his efforts on and off the field. The award goes to a player who best exemplifies the honor, courage and dedication of former major league pitcher and manager Fred Hutchinson, who died from cancer in 1964 at age 45. While with Kansas City, Teahen was a spokesman and fundraiser for a program that gave children with physical or mental challenges the chance to play baseball.

• The Los Angeles Angels voted to give a full postseason share to the estate of Nick Adenhart, the rookie pitcher killed in April in a car accident allegedly caused by a drunken driver. The Angels' shares were worth $138,039 after they lost in the American League Championship Series.

• The average baseball salary fell just short of $3 million this year, with the percentage increase slowing to 2.4 percent from 2008, its lowest level since 2004. The 926 players in the major leagues before rosters expanded in September averaged $2,996,000, according to the annual report of the players' association.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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