It’s entirely fitting that the Yankees are surprisingly strong contenders in the AL East as they retire No. 2 this weekend — because nothing in recent history says “winning Yanks” more than Derek Jeter.
And that’s not all that made him the most beloved New York sports figure of his generation.
The centerpiece of the group of young stars who brought the Yankees back to their old perch as baseball’s greatest team, he led the Bombers to five World Series championships, seven American League pennants and 16 playoff appearances.
As an individual, the captain had more hits than any other player in the storied team’s long history, was a World Series and All-Star MVP and one of the greatest shortstops ever.