Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter was born in New Jersey. He was born to an African American father, who played baseball in college, and a Caucasian mother, who supported Derek in everything. When Derek was seven they moved to Kalmazzoo, Michigan. It was when he was eight years old that Jeter walked into his parents room, and announced that he wanted to be the shortstop for the New York Yankees when he grew up. His parents didn't laugh, and instead supported him and encouraged him to work his heart out in baseball.

Jeter never stopped trying all throughout junior high, and highschool, where Jeter was the star of the baseball teams, and also recevied straight A's in all his classes. When Jeter graduated Highschool he didn't go to college, but instead tried out for the Tampa Yankees. Jeter made the Single-A minor league team. At first Jeter struggled, and made several errors, but he met Don Zimmer, who gave him some pointers, and calmed down Jeter's nerves. By the 1995 season Jeter was top of the Triple-A Class, and was sent up to the majors to start at shortstop for the Yankees in 1996. Also joining the team that year was all star catcher Jorge Posada, and Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera.

From there Jeter's career soared. In 1996 the Yankees went to the playoffs, and won the world series for the first time in almost twenty years. The yankees made the playoffs again in 1997, but lost in the second round. In 1998 the Yankees had 115 wins the third most of any team ever, and they swept the World Series...this pattern continued on in 1999-2001, but in the 2001 World Series the Yankees had the game in the bag, but the Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Luiz Gonzalez hit a single off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth, and The Yankees had lost after three seasons in a row of winning the world series. The Yankees returned to the World Series again in 2003 where they lost to the Florida Marlins, because of Josh Becketts  to hit shut out performance. In 2008 Jeter, the last season at the historical Yankee Stadium, Jeter broke the record for most hits in Yankee stadium, of all time.

Jeter will always be remembered as one of, if not the greatest, shortstop of all time.   
   
Achievements  

• 10 times American League All-Star (  1998-2002, 2004, 2006-2010)
• 4 American League Times Gold Glove Award (SS) (2004-2006, 2009)
• 4-times NYY Player of the Year (1998-2000, 2006)
• 3-times AL Silver Slugger (SS) (2006-2008)
• American League Rookie of the Year (1996)
• All-Star American League MVP (2000)
• World Series MVP (2000)
• Hank Aaron Award (2006)
• Babe Ruth Award (2000)
• 2-time Baseball American 1st Team Major League All-Star (SS) (1999, 2004)