Happy Birthday, Derek Jeter, Captain of the New York Yankees

Derek Sanderson Jeter was born on June 26, 1974, in Pequannock, N.J., the son of an African-American father and a white mother. When he was 5 years old, his family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., where he learned to play baseball.

Jeter distinguished himself through hard work, optimism and family values. A 1999 Westchester Journal News article explained that Jeter’s dream was “built on three generations of love, sweat and tears.” His parents and grandparents insisted on teaching Jeter the value of personal achievement paired with respect for others.

A 2006 segment on Jeter by CBS’ “60 Minutes” revealed how his father kept Derek out of trouble: “Every year from the time he was a kid until he graduated high school, Derek had to sign a contract drawn up by his father. He would be permitted to play baseball only if he complied with all 18 clauses, including ‘no arguing,’ ‘no alcohol and drugs,’ and ‘respect girls.’”

Jeter grew up a loyal Yankees fan, according to his official site, thanks to his grandmother’s strong love of the team. After his senior year of high school, his dream to play for the Yankees was realized: Jeter was the team’s sixth pick in the 1992 MLB Draft.

Jeter reached the majors in 1995 and the following year became the Yankees’ starting shortstop. He won the Rookie of the Year Award that year and helped the Yankees to their first World Series championship since 1978.

He earned the respect of his veteran teammates for his work ethic and maturity, and became a fan favorite. He was “New York's most adored ballplayer in at least a decade,” Michael Silver wrote for Sports Illustrated.

He led the Yankees to the three straight World Series championships between 1998 and 2000, winning World Series MVP in the 2000 “Subway Series” after winning the All-Star game MVP earlier in the year. “Derek Jeter is, above all else, a winner,” wrote Nick Acocella for ESPN.

Jeter made history in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series, the first that ever extended into November. He hit the game-winning homer just minutes after midnight of Oct. 31, earning the nickname “Mr. November.”

In 2003, Jeter was named the 11th captain in Yankees history. “He represents all that is good about a leader,” Yankees owner George Steinbrenner told The New York Times. “I'm a great believer in history, and I look at all the other leaders down through Yankee history, and Jeter is right there with them.”

Now in his 15th season with the Yankees, Jeter is setting or closing in on many team records. In 2008, in one of the final games at Yankee Stadium, he passed Lou Gehrig's record for hits at the stadium. He also holds the record for most at-bats as a Yankee, and is second to Gehrig in all-time hits.

Buster Olney looked at Jeter’s character and career in a chapter from his book “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty,” featured on ESPN. When interviewed, a parent of one of Jeter’s childhood friends praised how Jeter “effortlessly fit in with any group of children and made the others feel comfortable.”

Even now, as the captain of the Yankees, Jeter has “a knack for drawing in the personalities on the fringes of the team, mostly with humor,” Olney wrote.

In addition to his success as a ball player, Jeter created the Turn 2 Foundation to encourage kids to stay motivated in school while avoiding drugs and alcohol. The program awards grants and scholarships to kids who show strong academic achievement and leadership.