Image via Complex Original
A New York Yankee for life, as well as a future Hall of Famer, shortstop Derek Jeter has earned his place in baseball history as one of the greatest to ever play the game. A five-time World Series champion, 13-time All-Star, and winner of countless other accolades, Jeter's exploits have been celebrated nearly from the beginning of his career. The man is a quintessential Yankee, the type who was able to handle his role as the face of New York's most visible sports team with grace, dignity, and incredible talent.
Now entering his final season, Jeter will be remembered and celebrated in a variety of ways throughout the 2014 season. Here, we take a look at Captain Clutch by digging deep into the facts that you may not know about him. What about Mr. November have you missed out on throughout the course of his career? Read through the 25 Things You Didn't Know About Derek Jeter and find out for yourself.
Worried about Jeter's inexperience, the Yankees nearly traded Mariano Rivera to the Mariners in 1996 in exchange for Felix Fermin, a journeyman shortstop.
Without Mariano Rivera, who knows if the Yankees dynasty ever would've come to fruition. Thankfully, Brian Cashman and George Steinbrenner ended up passing on this deal, and their trust in Jeter to man shortstop was rewarded.
(Source)
He once had his own brand of frosted flakes cereal.
Released in 1999, the cereal was limited to a run of 250,000 boxes.
Michael Jordan enjoys reminding Jeter that he has one more championship ring than the Yankees shortstop.
In a 2012 interview with Rick Reilly, Jeter revealed that Jordan texts him "all the time" about the extra ring. Now in his final season, and the Yankees not favored to win it all in 2014, it's looking like Jeter will have to get used to it.
He was the first athlete to endorse Skippy peanut butter.
The only question we have about this endorsement: is Jeter a fan of crunchy peanut butter or smooth?
(Source)
Derek Jeter was the original Mr. Steal Yo' Girl when he snatched Joy Enriquez away from Alex Rodriguez in 2001.
Though Alex Rodriguez had invited Enriquez to the 2001 All-Star Game, he made the fatal mistake of introducing her to Jeter. In just a couple months, Jeter was the one dating Enriquez, and A-Rod was left with a giant K in the box score.
(Source)
He chose to play shortstop because his father, Sanderson, played the position at Fisk University.
Derek's sister, Sharlee, was also a talented softball player in high school.
(Source)
His star-studded dating history is enough to fill out a baseball diamond, boasting names like Mariah Carey, Scarlett Johannson, and Jessica Alba.
And this roster doesn't even include one of his former flames, Lara Dutta, who won Miss Universe in 2000.
(Source)
Derek Jeter is just the 14th Yankees captain in franchise history, and the position had been vacant for eight seasons before he was selected in 2003.
Before Jeter, Don Mattingly had been the Yankees team leader. George Steinbrenner finally tapped Jeets for the role in his ninth season with the team.
(Source)
Jeter's career post-season BA is .308, but he hit just .148 in the Yankees' 2001 World Series defeat against the Ar
However, take note that the photo above captures Jeter's biggest moment of the Series. In this picture, Jeter is hitting a game-winning home-run that powered New York to a Game 1 victory.
(Source)
Growing up, his favorite player was former Yankees outfielder Dave Winfield, whose autograph Jeter received at Tige
Clearly real was able to recognize real. Winfield played 10 seasons for the Yankees, making the All-Star team in eight of them.
(Source)
A native of Michigan, Jeter had a .360 BA in Tiger Stadium, but has just a .260 BA in Comerica Park, figures among the best and worst numbers of his career.
In parks where Jeter has played at least 22 games, he hit his best average in Tiger Stadium. However, by that same sample, his worst average is found in Comerica.
(Source)
In 1997, Jeter, Tim Raines and Paul O'Neill were the first Yankees to hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the postseason.
The feat occured in Game 1 of the ALDS versus the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees won the game 8-6, but lost the series in five games.
(Source)
During his junior and senior high school seasons, he struck out just once.
Jeter would hit .508 during his senior season, and also earned a 3.82 GPA while attending Kalamazoo Central.
He is second among shortstops for most hits in a career.
Jeter needs just 115 hits to pass Honus Wagner for most all-time, a number he has failed to pass in a single season just twice throughout his career.
(Source)
His 3,000th hit was a home-run. Jeter was just the second player to accomplish that feat.
The first player to do it was also once a Yankee: Wade Boggs. It's an epic way to ring in such a monumental achievement, and is certainly fitting for a player of Jeter's stature.
(Source)
He is the career leader for postseason hits, games played, ABs, and doubles.
In each of these categories, the man sitting in second place is Jeter's former Yankee teammate, Bernie Williams.
(Source)
He is the Yankees' all-time franchise leader in hits, at-bats, games, and stolen bases.
Jeter passed Lou Gehrig for most hits in 2009, Rickey Henderson for stolen bases in 2011, and Mickey Mantle for games and ABs in 2011.
(Source)
He finished in the top 10 for AL MVP votes in seven straight seasons, and 12 total, but never won.
Jeter's came the closest to winning the award during the 2006 season when he had a .314 BA, 214 hits, and a .417 OBP. However, he would end up losing by a mere 14 points to Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins.
(Source)
He is the only player to win the All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP in the same year.
He was also the first Yankee to win the All-Star Game MVP, slapping three hits, as well as the AL's go-ahead run. In the World Series against the Mets, Jeter batted .409, and had two home runs.
(Source)
He owns a publishing imprint called Jeter Publishing.
Started in conjunction with Simon & Schuster, Jeter created the imprint last year after injuries cut his season short. Jeter Publishing's first books are set to be released in 2014.
A Michigan fan, Jeter used to make bets with George Steinbrenner over who would win the Michigan-Ohio State football game.
If the two had been betting since the beginning of Jeter's career and up until Steinbrenner's death, then Steinbrenner would've held the edge in the rivalry, with the Buckeyes coming out on top during that span with nine victories and six losses.
(Source)
He made his acting debut on Seinfeld playing himself.
The episode was titled, "The Abstinence," and featured Jeter as well as former Yankee Bernie Williams.
(Source)
He earned the superlative "most likely to play shortstop for the New York Yankees" in his junior high yearbook.
That's "most likely to succeed" taken to a whole other level.
(Source)
He played AAU basketball against Chris Webber and Jalen Rose.
A talented basketball player for years, Jeter also earned an All-State honorable mention for the sport when he was in high school in Kalamazoo, Mich. Rose played ball at Southwestern High School in Detroit, while Webber played at Detroit Country Day School.
(Source)