NEW YORK — Derek Jeter returned to Yankee Stadium for the primary time in 5 years and was honored for his induction to the Hall of Fame two years in the past.
With his Hall plaque on a stand in entrance of the pitcher’s mound, Jeter spoke on the finish of a 27-minute ceremony earlier than Friday evening’s recreation towards Tampa Bay.
“I was born in New Jersey. I grew up in Kalamazoo. I live now down in Miami,” he mentioned close to the top of his 4-minute speech. “But right here in front of you, with you, is where I really feel like I’m at home.”
Jeter led the Yankees to 5 World Series titles and was a 14-time All-Star in a 20-season profession that led to 2014. He was inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown after being picked on 396 of 397 ballots.
Jeter’s No. 2 was retired by the Yankees throughout a ceremony in May 2017, when a plaque honoring him was unveiled in Monument Park. He was CEO of the Miami Marlins from September 2017 to February 2022
Ex-teammates CC Sabathia, Tino Martinez, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera had been every introduced individually, adopted by Jeter’s former supervisor and fellow Hall of Famer Joe Torre.
“When they were kids, this was one of the faces of baseball on the most iconic team,” present Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned.
After the company had been launched, a video narrated by actor Billy Crystal was proven on the middle discipline board. Accompanied by his spouse and three daughters, Jeter emerged from the tunnel behind the left-center discipline wall on a cart that adopted the warning observe alongside the fitting discipline line towards the Yankees dugout earlier than turning onto the sector.
During the trip Jeter and his two oldest daughters, 5-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Story, waved to the group whereas 9-month-old River sat in mother Hannah’s lap, with the visitor of honor mouthing “Thank you” a number of occasions. The massive majority of followers within the ballpark remained on their toes all through, chanting “De-rek Jeter!”
“When the crowd was chanting my name, I was trying to explain to my two oldest, obviously not the 9-month old, but I was trying to explain to them what was going on because I thought they may be a little scared or intimidated by the noise,” Jeter mentioned.
With Story and Bella standing behind him, hopping round and kicking the filth, Jeter addressed his daughters by saying “I told you this place was special.”
Jeter mentioned later he advised the pair they’d get ice cream in the event that they stayed of their seats in the course of the speech.
“They lost a deal,” he quipped.
Managing basic associate Hal Steinbrenner, booed by the group, introduced Jeter with a test to the Turn 2 Foundation for $222,222.22.
“They boo everybody here. I’ve been booed before,” Jeter mentioned later. “Yankee fans, we’ve all been spoiled, right? I mean a lot of success that we’ve had over the course of my career, over the last 20-something years, there’s been a lot of success and Yankee fans expect excellence.”
At previous Yankee Stadium throughout 161st St., Jeter advised then-President George W. Bush that he’d higher throw his ceremonial first pitch from the rubber or else the group would boo. Now 48, Jeter ignored his personal recommendation by throwing his first pitch from in entrance of the mound.
“They started booing me when I walked up in front of the mound. I haven’t thrown a baseball since I threw out the first pitch in 2017,” Jeter mentioned. “I was a little scared I was going to bounce it.”