"I was never tempted to change" - When Derek Jeter explained why he stuck with one bat throughout his career
Former New York Yankees slugger Derek Jeter had an extraordinary career that saw him lift five World Series titles, going down as an icon in the club's rich history. Jeter's bat played a big role in his accolades, which included 14 All-Star selections, a World Series MVP in 2000 and five Silver Slugger awards.
Throughout his career, Jeter used a black Louisville Slugger P72 to take swings at major league pitchers. Interestingly, he went on to use that same model bat until he retired.
"It just felt comfortable," Jeter was quoted as saying by mlb.com in 2014. "I think at one time in the offseason, I may have swung a different one in a cage, but I have never had an at-bat with a different model bat."
The 34-inch, 32-ounce bat was made out of northern white ash. It had a medium-sized barrel, along with a thin handle and the weight was distributed evenly to help get better exit velocity on powerful pitches.
According to records, until 1997, Jeter used a 33-1/2-inch, 31-ounce version before switching to a slightly longer and heavier model and keeping it constant throughout his Hall of Fame career.
"It takes time to get used to a wooden bat, period,” Jeter said. “I never was tempted to change."
Which other players used the bat from P72, like Derek Jeter?
Derek Jeter was not the first one to start using bats from P72. The company first designed the bat in 1954 for Les Pinkham, a Minor League player from Elizabethtown, Ky. The name comes from the fact that Pinkham was the 72nd player to order a bat. However, the minor league player could never make it to the majors.
According to Louisville Slugger, Cal Ripken Jr. frequently used a P72 during his Hall of Fame career with the Orioles, as did other Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Ivan Rodriguez.
Lyle Overbay and Kelly Johnson also used the model until 2015, when it was retired. However, one can order the bat with the exact specifications that Derek Jeter had under the model number DJ2, in honor of the former Yankee captain.