"I thought it would be nice to have this special day on Mother's Day to honor her and all that she's meant not only to my career" - Here's why New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter picked "Mother's Day" for his jersey retirement ceremony in 2017
Jeter has always been a man of class, both on and off the field, and he credits that to his parents.
Dorothy, Dr. Charles Jeter, and Derek's younger sister Sharlee have been ever-present attendees at Derek's games throughout his career, rooting and cheering him on from the stands.
He has always stressed that his parents’ support of his baseball pursuits dates back to when he was a child. Their unconditional love and support through good times and bad have molded Derek into the person he is today.
When it was announced in 2017 that the Yankees would retire his jersey, he chose to have the ceremony purposely on Mother’s Day.
"I chose Mother's Day because I have a very special relationship, not only with my mother, but with my whole family," he explained to Newsday. "I chose Mother's Day and the first thing my dad said was, 'What are we going to do on Father's Day?' But my mom especially has been very supportive ever since I was younger, but not just playing baseball. It was with anything that me or my sister wanted to do where she was very supportive. So I thought it would be nice to have this special day on Mother's Day to honor her and all that she's meant not only to my career, but she helped shape who I am today."
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"Derek Jeter says he chose Mother's Day for jersey retirement ceremony to do 'something special for my mom.' http://thesco.re/2q6X7Qw" - theScore, Twitter
The ceremony took place on Mother’s Day (May 14, 2017), during the Yankees vs. Astros game at Yankee Stadium. He was also honored with a plaque that was unveiled at Monument Park.
Jeter is the 22nd Yankee to have his jersey retired, and has joined some elite company, namely - Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Roger Maris, and most recently - Mariano Rivera.
Derek Jeter: The Yankee Legend
Derek was drafted by the Yankees in 1995 at the age of 20, and the rest is really history.
During his time in New York, Derek won the World Series five times. He was hugely responsible for the Yankees’ success in late 1990s and early 2000s thanks to his hitting, baserunning, fielding, and most importantly, leadership. He went down in history as one of the most iconic captains of all time!
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He was part of 14 All-Star teams, won 5 Gold Glove Awards, won both the All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP Awards in 2000, and many more.
He holds numerous postseason records and has a .321 batting average in the World Series. Jeter has earned the nicknames "Captain Clutch" and "Mr. November" due to his outstanding play in the postseason during his time with the Yankees.
He famously won the MVP award for the All-Star Game and World Series in 2000. Derek was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2020, receiving a whopping 99.74% of the votes.