Joe Torre won his 1,000th baseball game as manager of the New York Yankees last Sunday (May 7). However, there are millions of loyal Baltimore Orioles’ fans and baseball purists who would vociferously dispute the fact.

They would argue the Yanks’ win over the Orioles in Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series never happened, because a 13-year old boy, just a few days past his bar mitzvah, interfered with a ball in play that materially changed the outcome of the game.

The Orioles led the pin-strippers, 4-3, in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter lofted a flyball to deep right field. Baltimore’s Tony Tarasco ran back to the wall, camped under the ball and prepared to catch it for an easy out. It never happened. Jeffrey Maier of Old Tappen, NJ, like any 13-year old would do, reached out over the wall, into the field of play in hopes of snagging a souvenir. He managed to reach the ball, but was only able to deflect it into the stands for a homerun, tying the game.

It was a controversial and memorable moment. According to the rules of baseball, the umpire nearest the play should have ruled it an out by fan interference. However, the umpire thought the ball had already cleared the wall and ruled it a homerun. If you rooted for the Orioles, you screamed and stomped, "We was robbed." "No way that was a homer." "Jeter should be out."

If you were a Yankees’ fan, you stood up, cheered, applauded and hugged the nearest person to you. The tainted tater (homer) sent the game into extra innings. The Yanks scored three more runs and won the game 7-4. More than that, it ignited baseball’s most revered franchise to the first of four World Series championships over a five-year span.

The following morning, — and for several more mornings thereafter — the Baltimore newspapers blatantly excoriated the umpire for what they perceived as a gross miscarriage of baseball justice. The New York press, never at a loss for words, paid the minimum due diligence to the Bronx Bombers victory. Instead, they turned Maier into the celebrity de jour, and created his "15 minutes of fame."

Instead of going to school the following morning, preened and tongue-tied, the pre-teen was an unscheduled guest on "Good Morning, America," "Live with Regis & Kathie Lee," and the "Late Show with David Letterman."

So, why bring this story up again? It’s been told several times over, and has been securely ensconced in the legendary events of the sport. In fact, ESPN ranks it one of the "Five (most infamous) Blown Calls" in sports history. It ranks with:

1. 1927. The famous Long Count in the Dempsy-Tunney fight in 1927;

2. 1979. Charles White’s fumble in the Rose Ball that was recovered by the Michigan Wolverines. Most of the six referees ruled in Michigan’s favor, but one official, a linesman standing on the goal line, overruled the others saying White crossed the goal line before losing the ball. Instead of Michigan having the ball on the two-yard line, the University of Southern California was awarded a touchdown and went on to win the game, 17-10, and a share of the national championship;

3. 1990. Colorado's fifth down. Missouri was trying to finish off an upset of Colorado as the Buffaloes drove inside the five-yard line in the closing seconds of the game. Missouri stopped the Buffaloes on fourth down, but the referee miscounted and gave the Buffs another play. They scored a touchdown to win 33-31 and go on to share the national title with Georgia Tech.

4. 1996: Jeffrey Maier's catch

5. 1997: The kick and the catch. Again, Missouri is going for an upset, this time of No. 1 Nebraska. Trailing 38-31, the Cornhuskers had the ball at the 12-yard line with seven seconds left. Quarterback Scott Frost throws a pass intended for Shevin Wiggins at the goal line, but Wiggins couldn't control the ball. Instead, he kicked it into the air — which is illegal — and it was caught by a diving Matt Davison.

Now, 10 years later, Maier is back in the news. Not for another faux pas, but for his leadership on the baseball field and in the classroom.

Maier is a senior at prestigious Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. The school, along with Williams, Amherst and Trinity, is considered one of the Little Ivies. It boasts a steady stream of famous alumni. They include Eric Asimov, wine critic of the New York Times; Bill Belichick, head football coach of the New England Patriots; and Bill Blakemore and John Yang, both correspondents for ABC News. Also, Amy Bloom and Robin Cook, authors; John Hickenlooper, Mayor of Denver, CO; Gerald Holton, considered the world’s leading authority on Albert Einstein; and Bill Shapiro, managing editor of Life magazine.

Maier, on his way to being ranked with the famous and most illustrious, will graduate cum laude in June with a degree in government and a minor in economics. He will also be listed in the Wesleyan University baseball record book for the most hits in a season. He currently stands at 50 (in 33 games) with a .404 batting average. His career hit total stands at more than 180 and counting.

In fact, this season, Maier ranks in the top five of every offensive statistic except strikeouts kept by the athletic department. He has nine doubles, 22 RBI, successfully stole six bases in seven attempts and has been hit by pitches 12 times. The next two players behind him in HBP only have a combined total of 10.

Because of the needs of the team, Maier sacrificed himself for the team and is playing 3B this season instead of his regular position, centerfield. There is a big difference in playing the two positions. Consequently, he has committed a dozen errors, but has made up for his shortcomings with his bat.

Off the field, he has already interviewed for a job on Wall Street, and is keeping his fingers crossed that a Major League Baseball team might decide to take a chance on him and draft him in the up coming baseball draft in June. Most of the baseball scouts don’t think he has much of a chance, but he isn’t discouraged. If he doesn’t get drafted or hook on with a team as a free agent, he has the educational acumen to get an excellent job, perhaps even in the front office of a major league baseball team.

No matter where Maier winds up, it probably won’t be far from a baseball field, and it almost certainly will extend his "15 minutes of fame" for a long time to come.