Derek Jeter is one of the most iconic baseball players of his generation. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter is considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time. He played his entire 20-year career with the New York Yankees, retiring in 2014.
Jeter was a 14-time All-Star and won five Gold Glove Awards. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 1996 and was the AL Most Valuable Player in 2000. He also won five Silver Slugger Awards and was the AL Hank Aaron Award winner in 2000. Jeter is the Yankees’ all-time leader in hits (3,465), games played (2,747), stolen bases (358), and at-bats (11,195). He is also the franchise’s leader in hits and doubles.
In 2017, Jeter was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was also selected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
Table of Contents:
1. Early Life
2. MLB Career
3. Post-Retirement Life
4. Legacy
5. Derek Jeter Quotes
- Early Life
Derek Jeter was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, on June 26, 1974. He is the son of Dorothy (Connors) and Sanderson Charles Jeter. His mother is of Irish and German descent and his father is African-American.
Jeter has two sisters, Sharlee and Sharlee’s twin sister, Jawana. He also has a younger brother, Matthew.
Jeter was raised a Catholic. He attended Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he played baseball and basketball.
In 1992, Jeter was drafted by the Yankees in the first round of the MLB Draft. He chose to forgo college and begin his professional career.
- MLB Career
Jeter made his MLB debut in 1995 and quickly established himself as one of the best players in the league. He was named the AL Rookie of the Year after hitting .314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBI.
Jeter helped lead the Yankees to their first World Series title in 18 years in 1996. He hit .361 in the Series and was named the World Series MVP.
The Yankees won three more World Series titles in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Jeter was named the AL MVP in 2000 after hitting .339 with 15 home runs and 73 RBI.
Jeter continued to be one of the best players in the league throughout his career. He was a 14-time All-Star and won five Gold Glove Awards. He was also named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
Jeter announced his retirement in 2014. He played his final game on September 28, 2014.
- Post-Retirement Life
After his playing career, Jeter founded The Players’ Tribune, a website that allows athletes to share their stories.
Jeter has also been involved in a number of businesses. He is a minority owner of the Miami Marlins and he has his own line of clothing and sneakers with Adidas.
In 2017, Jeter was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. And in the same year, Jeter and his wife, Hannah, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Bella Raine.
- Legacy
Derek Jeter is one of the most iconic baseball players of his generation. He was a five-time World Series champion and a 14-time All-Star. He is the Yankees’ all-time leader in hits and is considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time.
Derek Jeter Quotes
“I love it when people doubt me. It makes me work harder to prove them wrong.” — Derek Jeter
“There may be people who have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do – and I believe that.” — Derek Jeter
“The longer you wait to decide what you want to do, the more time you’re wasting. It’s up to you to want something so badly that your passion shows through in your actions. Your actions, not your words, will do the shouting for you.” — Derek Jeter
“The last thing you want to do is finish playing or doing anything and wish you would have worked harder.” — Derek Jeter
“Work hard, love what you do, put your best foot forward and never forget the kid in you.” — Derek Jeter
“When you put a lot of hard work into one goal and you achieve it, that’s a really good feeling.” — Derek Jeter
“You don’t just accidentally show up in the World Series.” — Derek Jeter
“If you’re going to play at all, you’re out to win. Baseball, board games, playing Jeopardy, I hate to lose.” — Derek Jeter
“Your image isn’t your character. Character is what you are as a person.” — Derek Jeter
“Surround yourself with good people. People who are going, to be honest with you and look out for your best interests.” — Derek Jeter
“You know what I want to do? Wake up one weekend and not have to go anywhere and do nothing.” — Derek Jeter
“I always take criticism as a challenge. It’s the way I’ve always looked at it.” — Derek Jeter
“It doesn’t take any talent to play hard.” — Derek Jeter
“You gotta have fun. Regardless of how you look at it, we’re playing a game. It’s a business, it’s our job, but I don’t think you can do well unless you’re having fun.” — Derek Jeter
“You have to take the good with the bad. Some players only talk to the press when they are doing good. When you’re doing bad you shouldn’t shy away from them and when doing good, don’t run up to them.” — Derek Jeter
“I’m not perfect; no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. I think you try to learn from those mistakes.” — Derek Jeter
“There’s a responsibility, but there’s also accountability. You have to be accountable for your actions. You have to stand at your locker when things are going bad.” — Derek Jeter
“Good teams make the playoffs, hot teams win the playoffs.” — Derek Jeter
“I just think that your private life is private. What I do is obviously public, I get that. I get the fact that people are interested. I’m interested in a lot of people as well. I’ve just chosen to stay as private as possible.” — Derek Jeter
“You have to be confident, if you’re not confident you might as well go home.” — Derek Jeter
“It’s never over. You don’t want to be in the position to be down four runs in the ninth inning, but it’s not over until the last out.” — Derek Jeter
“So many people are insanely busy nowadays, and it’s easy to say, ‘Ah, I’ll work out tomorrow.’ But you have to set aside a time and stick to that schedule.” — Derek Jeter
“That’s how you win – pitching and defense.” — Derek Jeter
“My parents always felt if I worked hard enough I could make any dream come true.” — Derek Jeter
“In order to lead people, you have to get to know them.” — Derek Jeter
“My heroes, my dreams, and my future lay in Yankee Stadium. And they can’t take that away from me.” — Derek Jeter
“I get nervous watching teammates. I get nervous for them. Late in the game, pressure situation, I’m nervous for them.” — Derek Jeter
“I think everyone is ticklish. You just gotta find the right spots.” — Derek Jeter
“My office is at Yankee stadium. Yes, dreams do come true.” — Derek Jeter
“If you play well on the field, everything will take care of itself.” — Derek Jeter
“Handle yourself like a professional on the field and you have one goal and that’s to win.” — Derek Jeter
“I go into every game thinking I’m going to be the hero. I have to, or I wouldn’t enjoy it.” — Derek Jeter
“I went to school on Senior Skip Day.” — Derek Jeter
“I think there’s something wrong with me – I like to win in everything I do, regardless of what it is. You want to race down the street, I want to beat you. If we’re playing checkers, I want to win. You beat me, it’s going to bother me. I just enjoy competition.” — Derek Jeter
“My grandmother asks me to race down the street, I’m going to try to beat her. And I’ll probably enjoy it. Competitive to a fault, sometimes.” — Derek Jeter
“God, I hope I wear this jersey forever.” — Derek Jeter
“I think it comes easy to work hard. I was always taught, don’t short-change yourself. Keep working to get better.” — Derek Jeter
“I looked up to my parents because they were very successful in what they wanted to do. I was lucky; I didn’t have to look far for role models.” — Derek Jeter
“The great thing about being a Yankee is that you’re always a Yankee.” — Derek Jeter
“Defense usually doesn’t make many headlines, but it goes a long way toward winning baseball games. There are a number of ways to make an impact during the course of a game, and playing solid, sound defense is one of them.” — Derek Jeter
“I like to dance and sing when there’s no one around, but, if I’m out, I’m really shy about it. So it takes a lot to get me going, but I enjoy being around music.” — Derek Jeter
“Winning is one of the most special moments. Every time I take the field it’s a special moment. The fans are the ones that make it special. Because that’s what we do it for.” — Derek Jeter
“Our fans don’t want to see us win the Wild Card. They want to see us win the division.” — Derek Jeter
“My best vacation is somewhere I could hide, somewhere warm and not a lot of people around.” — Derek Jeter
“My dad had been shortstop when he was in college, and you know, when you’re a kid, you want to be just like your dad.” — Derek Jeter
“The only legacy I want is to be thought of as a winner.” — Derek Jeter
“I will never brag about myself, but my family, I can go on forever.” — Derek Jeter
“I always try to take from past performances. You never try to get too high or too low. Just play every game, just treat every game like it’s the same.” — Derek Jeter
“Obviously, you’re known for what you do. But you still want to be known as a good person. You’re a person a lot longer before and after you’re a professional athlete.” — Derek Jeter
“I think when things linger, that’s when they become a distraction. I don’t want any distractions.” — Derek Jeter
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