Jeter was born to an African American father, Charles Jeter, and Irish American mother, Dorothy, on June 26, 1974. Raised in North Arlington, New Jersey, and Kalamazoo, Michigan, he has one sister, Sharlee. He played baseball and basketball in his childhood, but it was baseball that earned him a scholarship to the University of Michigan. Jeter only attended for one semester, though, before being drafted by the New York Yankees as a shortstop.

Spending four years in the minor leagues after being drafted, Jeter was always a star, being named Most Outstanding Major League Prospect and Best Defensive Shortstop. In 1995, he played in thirteen games as Major League shortstop for the Yankees, but then was sent back to the minor leagues. He made his rookie debut the following year, and earned his permanent place on the Major League New York Yankee roster with a home run against the Seattle Mariners on his very first at-bat. Jeter ended that season as Rookie of the Year, with ten homeruns, and a .314 batting average.

Jeter, known as Mr. Clutch to fans because he could always be counted on to do everything he could to come through and win a game, succeeded often. He’s also known for a few spectacular plays. In "The Flip," with the Yankees down two games to the Oakland Athletics in the 2001 American League Division Series, the Yankees were leading the Athletics 1-0 in the seventh inning. The Yankees pitcher, Mike Mussina, gave up a double, and the right fielder, Shane Spencer, overthrew the ball as he threw it home. Jeter ran from his shortstop spot across the field to catch it, and flipped it backhand to the catcher, as he tagged the runner out, just in time.

Another of Jeter’s infamous plays is "The Dive." With a game against the Boston Red Sox in extra innings, he was chasing a foul pop-up as it headed into the stands. Instead of stopping before he got to the fence and possibly injuring his knees, Jeter followed into the stands with his forward momentum.

He held onto the ball, and the Yankees went on to win the game, although he would require stitches in his chin as it had opened up during the fall.

Jeter’s great skills on the field, as well as leadership skills around the locker room, have earned him the honor of being the eleventh Yankees team captain. However, the way the number of team captains has been counted has been disputed, and it’s quite possible he is either the thirteenth or fourteenth captain of the team.

Those skills of Jeter’s have extended beyond the field as well, as he has also hosted Saturday Night Live, putting him in the company of other well-known sports figures to have done the same, such as Michael Jordan, OJ Simpson, Joe Montana, Walter Payton, Wayne Gretsky, Charles Barkley, George Foreman, Deion Sanders, The Rock, and Jeff Gordon.

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