Published 01/22/2023, 1:50 PM EST
At the young age of five, a young boy, born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, started playing baseball after relocating to Kalamazoo. Derek Jeter, the young boy, as was eventually evident by his passion on the field, was a baseball fanatic. However, his parents were very strict. As a result, young Derek had to sign a contract every year, which defined acceptable and unacceptable forms of behavior, to be allowed to step into the park. Eventually, this discipline, dedication, and respect paid off. And the Yankees’ shortstop created history.
But long before that, he earned a scholarship to play college baseball at the University of Michigan, for the Michigan Wolverines. However, Jeter stuck to college baseball only for a short while, until he made the big decision to enter the Major League Draft, with multiple scouts looking at him.
A simple dream of playing in the Major League
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In an interview from 2020 with Detroit Free Press, Derek Jeter spoke about his long-grown ambition to play in the Major League. Surprisingly or not, this had absolutely nothing to do with money, as stated by the shortstop, who was then driving a rugged 1981 Datsun, already driven for 127,000 miles.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JULY 15: American League All-Star Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees acknowledges the crowd after being pulled in the fourth inning during the 85th MLB All-Star Game at Target Field on July 15, 2014 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Jeter said, “I want to play in the major leagues; I don’t want to make $7 million. I mean, the money crosses your mind, but I just want to play.”
Whether he wanted it or not, in little to no time Derek Jeter grew really close to that figure, by attaining an $800,000 signing bonus from the New York Yankees when they signed him in the 1992 Major League Drafts.
The day Derek Jeter finally stepped on the Major League field to create history someday
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Three years after setting foot in the Yankees minor league system, Derek Jeter finally made his debut with the New York Yankees in 1995 against the Seattle Mariners wearing jersey number two.
Twenty years into his debut, Derek Jeter announced his retirement in September 2014, with 14 All-Star appearances, five World Championships, and a Roberto Clemente Award, amongst many, many other accolades.
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The New York Yankees’ front office retired Jeter’s jersey number two in 2017, three years before the shortstop made his way into the MLB Hall of Fame, leaving behind a legacy of greatness.
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