Has it really been 15 years? On May 29, 1995, the course of New York Yankees history was changed forever with Derek Jeter's big-league debut.
All he has done since that fateful day in Seattle is get more than 2,800 hits, drive in nearly 1,100 runs, steal more than 300 bases and hit almost 230 homers. Jeter has taken on a leadership role as the captain of the most famous and successful baseball franchise. He has become the best role model of all modern athletes and the face of everything that is good about baseball. He has taken his rightful place on the list of all-time Yankee greats and will someday take a similar spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“The one thing I do remember is how confident this kid was when he came up,” his former teammate Paul O’Neill said. “In your organization, you have your gems and he was definitely one.”
Most importantly, Jeter still looks like he's having as much fun playing baseball as he did when he was a rookie. Whether he is mocking third baseman Alex Rodriguez's approach to fly balls as he did today, accusing former Yankee pitcher Al Leiter of dyeing his hair or warning YES Network reporter Kimberly Jones not to tell him who won American Idol under threat of no interviews until after the All-Star break, his sense of humor remains intact.
“The one thing I still see today out on the field 15 years later is still the enthusiasm that Derek Jeter has to play baseball,” O’ Neill said.
Happy anniversary, Derek!
All he has done since that fateful day in Seattle is get more than 2,800 hits, drive in nearly 1,100 runs, steal more than 300 bases and hit almost 230 homers. Jeter has taken on a leadership role as the captain of the most famous and successful baseball franchise. He has become the best role model of all modern athletes and the face of everything that is good about baseball. He has taken his rightful place on the list of all-time Yankee greats and will someday take a similar spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“The one thing I do remember is how confident this kid was when he came up,” his former teammate Paul O’Neill said. “In your organization, you have your gems and he was definitely one.”
Most importantly, Jeter still looks like he's having as much fun playing baseball as he did when he was a rookie. Whether he is mocking third baseman Alex Rodriguez's approach to fly balls as he did today, accusing former Yankee pitcher Al Leiter of dyeing his hair or warning YES Network reporter Kimberly Jones not to tell him who won American Idol under threat of no interviews until after the All-Star break, his sense of humor remains intact.
“The one thing I still see today out on the field 15 years later is still the enthusiasm that Derek Jeter has to play baseball,” O’ Neill said.
Happy anniversary, Derek!
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