Jeter takes place in history as Yankees captain
In modern-day Major League Baseball, the role of a captain has become increasingly rare.
But Derek Jeter was indeed a rare player. On June 3, 2003, Jeter was named the 15th captain in Yankees history.
Jeter’s 2003 season began with adversity. On Opening Day, he was advancing from first to third on a groundout when he collided with Blue Jays catcher Ken Huckaby at the third base bag, dislocating his left shoulder and forcing him to miss 36 games. Despite his absence on the field, Jeter still managed to have a clubhouse presence, helping mentor teammates and remaining actively involved as he worked toward recovery.
After returning from injury, Jeter received a surprise phone call from Yankees owner George M. Steinbrenner III. Steinbrenner asked if Jeter was comfortable being named captain – an honor a that requires exceptional leadership.
Jeter told MLB reporters: “It meant a lot, because I know it’s a title that is not thrown around too lightly in our organization.”
Jeter was the first Yankees player to be named captain since Don Mattingly held the role from 1991-95.
Steinbrenner had expressed some doubts about Jeter in the previous offseason, but the criticism made Jeter focus harder than ever during Spring Training. As he later told ESPN, “It was pretty much over in Spring Training when I addressed it, and I didn’t have any problems with the Boss.”
Steinbrenner told him: “Listen, I don’t want you to change anything. I want you to continue to handle yourself how you’ve handled yourself up until this point. That’s why I’m naming you the captain.”
At that point, the 28-year-old Jeter had amassed four World Series titles, a World Series MVP, the 1996 American League Rookie of the Year Award and an All-Star Game MVP. News broke worldwide of his new role as captain, as the Yankees held a press conference at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio – where the Yankees were playing the Reds – to announce the decision.
“I have always been very, very careful about giving such responsibility to one of my players,” Steinbrenner said via UPI.com. “But I can’t think of a single player that I have ever had who is more deserving of this honor than Derek Jeter.”
The Yankees finished the 2003 season with a 101-61 record. Jeter helped lead the Yankees back to the World Series, where the club fell to the Florida Marlins. He ended the season batting .324 with 11 stolen bases, 10 home runs and 87 runs scored in 119 games.
After a 20-year tenure with the Yankees — 12 serving as team captain — Jeter retired following the 2014 season and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020.
Khadifi Madison was the spring 2026 Jim Murray Scholars intern at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
