Hall of Fame inductee Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees arrives during an induction ceremony at the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday at Cooperstown, N.Y. Hans Pennink/Associated Press
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Honor. Respect. Humility.
Derek Jeter played all the hits during his Hall of Fame induction speech on Wednesday, delivering the exact type of speech one would expect from the dignified Yankees captain.
“This is a game that requires sacrifice, discipline and focus,” Jeter told the audience, which included famous friends Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and Ahmad Rashad. “No one individual is bigger than the game.”
Apart from one tongue-in-cheek dig at the voter who robbed him of unanimous induction (“Thank you to the baseball writers, all but one of you”), and a face full of stubble that the Yankees forbade him from wearing, Jeter was a 15-minute version of the straight-laced man we watched from 1995-2014. Introduced as the heartbeat of the Yankees dynasty by Commissioner Rob Manfred, Jeter thanked his loved ones and shared anecdotes from a decorated career, one that, as he reminded the Cooperstown crowd, included a lot of winning.
“I wanted to make all of you proud,” Jeter said, addressing the group of Hall of Famers seated behind him who he pointed to as the sole reason for his on-stage nerves. “In a sense, it’s more than a game.”
In his tight, confident speech, Jeter thanked teammates Gerald Williams, Tino Martinez, Jorge Posada and CC Sabathia, among others. Alex Rodriguez was, predictably, notably absent, but every other Yankee luminary from the Jeter years got a shout out. From The Boss to Mr. T., Brian Cashman to Don Zimmer, the speech became a who’s who of pinstriped legends.
“I played wiffle ball in full Yankee pinstripes, pretending to be Dave Winfield,” Jeter remembered of his days in his grandmother’s New Jersey yard. “I learned the importance of going to work every day and doing your job no matter what.”
Jeter laughed about Reggie Jackson always reminding him during his playing days that the captain wasn’t a Hall of Famer, yet. He apologized to trainers Gene Monahan and Steve Donahue for lying to them for years in attempts to stay on the field. He also gave credit to Gary Denbo and Brian Butterfield, coaches who he said were “most responsible” for his development upon reaching pro ball and realizing how overmatched he was.
“There was only one thing I wanted to be,” Jeter said of his childhood aspirations. “Shortstop for the New York Yankees.” He succeeded at attaining that dream, and then some. While addressing his daughters, Jeter even admitted that their dad is not perfect, while stating that one of his only regrets was that they were not old enough to share his baseball journey with him.
He shouted out his dad — who Jeter said is the first person he goes to for advice — as well as Rachel Robinson and Hank Aaron, who he had brief but powerful interactions with at a 1996 dinner and the 1999 All-Star Game, respectively. The speech was marked by his trademark charm and grace, with little references to his haters, winning all the time, and the Yankees’ greatness that also made him so infuriating to fans of other teams.
“To this day I remember every time I was doubted,” Jeter said. “It still drives me today.”
Despite being a lightning rod for fan hatred, perhaps more than any other modern player, Jeter has a sea of fanatical admirers from coast-to-coast. He called playing in front of Yankee fans “the greatest honor of my life” and said that baseball’s rich history is what makes it so special.
He ended his speech with a message to current players, urging them to take care of and respect the game of baseball. It’s a game that’s given Jeter everything, from his youth days in Kalamazoo to his ceremony in Cooperstown. In a prespeech video tribute, Bernie Williams described the Jeter he first met as wide-eyed, skinny and above all else, normal.
That wide-eyed normal kid is a first-ballot Hall of Famer now, able to make his long-awaited speech after COVID-19 pushed back its initial date twice. The wait was worth it though as Jeter looked out from his podium to a large, if not full capacity, group that was mostly there to celebrate him.
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” Jeter signed off, as the hordes of Yankee fans chanted his name once more.
Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and the late Marvin Miller were also inducted.
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