G.O.A.T
Kyle Hawkins
Period: 1st
3/1/15
“I’m trying to think who the best shortstop I’ve ever seen is, and I keep coming back to this kid.”
—Yankees legend Phil Rizzuto (Jockbio)
There are many people that are thought out to be the greatest of all time. Jordan, Mantle, Young, these are all people that are in the discussion to be the greatest in their respected sport. All of theses people have many things in common, such as, leadership, integrity and the overall will to take over in the clutch moments. Another athlete that is easily considered in this category would be Derek Jeter. Derek Jeter shows all of the qualities of the greats , but more importantly he proves it by his numbers. He is a whole new person when it comes to the postseason.
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Derek Jeter is arguably the greatest shortstop to ever play game because of what he went through in the years of growing up, in his high school days, in his professional career and in his postseason career. Derek Sanderson Jeter was born on June 26th, 1974,in Pequannock Township, New Jersey.
Derek and his family lived there until he was four and they then moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan.(Kalamazoo) Derek spent the school year there with his parents and then spent the summer in New Jersey with his grandparents. While in New Jersey Derek attended many Yankee games and this is where not only his love for the Yankee, but for the game of baseball. (Kalamazoo)
Derek wanted to play shortstop which is where his dad played in college, but his favorite player, Dave Winfield, played outfield. Dave Winfield played a big part in Derek pursuing his baseball career.(Turn) Dave Winfield was the captain for the Yankees from 1985-1988.(Turn) Derek was smaller as a kid, so his coaches always tried to get him to play second. The passion he had to play his fathers collegiate position was superior.(Bio.com)
When he was not in New Jersey during the summer with his grandparents he was in Kalamazoo, Michigan where he attended Kalamazoo Central High School. Derek excelled in academics just as he did in athletics. Baseball was not the only sport that he was good at. Derek also started varsity basketball his sophomore year but didn't play his last two years because he was focused on becoming a professional baseball player.
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(Derek) The fact that he focused on baseball his last two years showed in the numbers.
He batted over .500 in both of his final two high seasons and only struck out one time in his senior year. After his outstanding senior season, the awards seemed to just roll in. Derek was named American High School Coaches Association's 1992 "High School Player of the Year," the 1992 "Gatorade High School Athlete of the Year" and USA Today's "High School Player of the Year" along with seven other local awards.(bio.com) His outstanding high school resume was noticed by Michigan University. They offered him a full ride baseball scholarship which at first he chose to accept. Unbeknownst to Derek and his family he had heavily been recruited by the New York Yankees and they took him as the 6th overall pick in the 1992 MLB Draft.
(bio.com) Jeter spent 3 years in the minors before breaking the major league scene. In 1995, he was called up but only for a few games. He finally got his big break in 1996. Jeter was called up but this time, for good. Derek had an outstanding rookie season to go along with a fantastic postseason that resulted in a World Series. After his rookie season, that accolades came pouring in. He received the AL rookie of the year and was named to his first of 14 all star games. Jeter and the Yankees ended up winning 3 of the next 4 world series where Jeter was the mvp of the 2000 world series. They didn't gain the taste of another title until 2009 and by then Jeter' career was was reaching many milestones and the biggest one of all was reached on July 9th, 2011 when he hit his 3000th hit. After doing that he broke almost every Yankees record in the book. (Derek) Derek is the greatest Yankee ever but some people argue that he is the greatest baseball player of all time. It's hard to really say who the best ever is but the impact that Derek had on the game and on the people alone is remarkable. The way he treated and played the game was like no other. Derek Jeter gave the respect the game deserved and in return he got the same. If there ever was a face of the MLB, Derek Jeter was just that.
Atlanta and earning a bronze medal. A lot of the top baseball scouts started looking at him more seriously
In 1983, at the age of twenty-three, Cal lead the Orioles to a World Series victory. He always seemed the favorite every group would vote for as player of the year. There were two reasons. First was his outstanding performance on the field. Second was the way Cal handled himself off the field. He loves being a role model for children, so he tries to be the best person he can in order to set a good example.
Derek Jeter’s young years were helped by his parents. When Derek was 5 years old, Derek moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan with his parents. His Dad was a counselor for drugs/alcohol, while his mom is an accountant. Derek and his sister were big baseball fans as kids. In 8th grade, Jeter predicted he would be in a New York Yankees uniform by age 18. Derek’s had already built his legendary confidence in the young years of grade school. Jeter attended St. Augustine Cathedral School in Kalamazoo. “He was one of those kids you just never forget,” recalled his teacher Shirley Garzelloni, “and I would say that even if he wasn’t still playing baseball.” Jeter’s character was built up well even at a young age.
The differences between black and white players has been going on for a long time since the early 1920’s. The players have always been at each other since the Negro Leagues have been around. There were two players that made the transition from the Negro Leagues to the Majors and those players were Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson. Most people know of Robinson more than Paige because of the Brooklyn Dodgers recruiting him from Kansas City Monarchs. Satchel Paige was a pitcher from the Kansas City Monarchs like Robinson but he was recruited to the Cleveland Indians at the time. Paige has changed baseball today because he has shown new ways to pitch, broke the racial barrier with Robinson, and was an influence on many players in todays day.
Who would have thought a little boy from the Dominican Republic would have so much effect on people. David Ortiz is a well known player around the Major League Baseball Association, many people know him by Big Papi. He has created foundations and many other things for all types of people. From children to adults and in between, Ortiz has been an influential individual.
Even as a child Derek loved baseball. He and his dad would often throw in the baseball field behind his house almost everyday. Although his dad sounds like a great role model for him, his Grandma Dot and Grandpa Bill were the most important people in his childhood. They were his moms parents. He would go visit them in New Jersey for weeks at a time. His Grandma would tell him stories about the best Yankee players and basically plant dreams in his head. At night he would watch the Yankee’s play with his Grandpa Bill and fall asleep in his lap. As soon as he woke up in the morning(which was ussualy pretty early) he would go into to his Grandma and say “Come on Gram! Lets go throw!”. They went through this routine every morning.
After graduation from Herbert Hoover High School, Williams' talents got him a contract with a minor league baseball team in San Diego ("My Turn at Bat" 26). His progressed very quickly, and two years later, Williams was the starting left fielder for the Boston Red Sox.
Jackie Robinson overcame many struggles in life such as being included in the civil rights movement, facing discrimination, and he achieved being the first black man in major league baseball. He was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia on Hadley Ferry Road. It is a blue-collar town of about 10,000 people. Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Even though he achieved this major goal he still had trouble getting there. He and his siblings were raised by his single mother. Jackie attended Muir High School and Pasadena Junior College. He was a great athlete and played many sports. He played football, basketball, track, and of course baseball. He left school in 1941, worked as an athletic director and played semiprofessional football for the Honolulu Bears before being drafted to the Army in 1942. While he was in the army he became close friends with Joe Louis. The heavyweight used his popularity to protest about the delayed entry of black soldiers. Two years later he got the honor to be second lieutenant in 1943. After an accident where he refused to sit in the back of an unsegregated bus, military police arrested Robinson. A duty officer requested this and then later he requested that Jackie should be court martialed. Since this happened Jackie was not allowed to be deployed overseas to the World War II. He never saw combat during the war. Jackie left the Army with an honorable discharge.
In spite of the challenges that he faced along the way, Jackie Robinson was determined to succeed in Major League Baseball, it was this drive that led him to persist in integrating the sport of baseball. Early on, Jackie Robinson believed that God had a special purpose for him. Coming from a Christian background, Jackie Robinson believed that God was preparing him for something big, but he could still not see just what that would be (cite pg 37). Growing up, he excelled in many sports.
Next to future hall of famer shortstop Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano was just as recognized in New York. His face was all over the city on television as well as street signs.
Jackie Robinson first played baseball for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro Leagues in 1945. Robinson was first pursued by the Boston Red Sox, a Major League team, but they never replied back to him after his workout (Rampersad 89). Later on in August of 1945 Branch Rickey, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, sent a scout to observe and bring in Jackie Robinson (Rampersad 125). When the scout approached Robinson he told him that Rickey was going to start a Negro League team called the Brooklyn Brown Dodgers. What the scout and Robinson did not understand was the persistence of Rickey to meet and speak with him. Robinson eventually agreed and on August 28 in Brooklyn met with Branch Rickey. Rickey immediately told him to marry because he knew that if Robinson accepted he would need the support of a loving wife (Rampersad 126). Rickey then shocked him when he said he wanted
Jackie Robinson once said that “"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." (Brainy Quotes). Jackie Robinson faced more abuse than any other baseball player. Jackie Robinson had his mind set on breaking the color barrier for African Americans. Jackie Robinson had the muscle strength and talent to inspire and change the color barrier in Major League baseball. Jackie Robinson was one of the most significant baseball players that America has ever known for Jackie Robinson’s bravery to stop the color barrier for, his inspiration he gave to people all around the world and for his accomplishments during baseball and outside of baseball this made him one of the most valuable players in the National League.
Dizzy Dean “It ain’t braggin’ if you can back it up.” –Dizzy Dean. Dizzy Dean lived up to his famous quote throughout his baseball career. He had a daring character, and never backed down from a challenge. He was known as a nonchalant, and boastful man.
While many questions in baseball can be argued over and over without result, the question of who is the greatest Yankee is a simple one. Babe Ruth is undeniably the greatest Yankee of all time. Beyond simple being a great Yankee Rader refers to Ruth as being a “pivotal figure in establishing the greatest dynasty in baseball history, that of the New York Yankees”. Babe Ruth forever changed the game; his hitting ability inspired not just baseball players but also the nation. Beyond the numbers, we can gauge Ruth’s greatness through looking at the longevity of his fame. Even today Babe Ruth is a household name and more recognizable then any other historic baseball player. As Ruth acquired his slugging average of .847, he was able to personify the American dream.
Jackie Robinson faced much adversity through his career, but he eventually gained the respect of thousands across the country and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. He was the son of Jerry Robinson and Mallie Robinson. His father Jerry was a plantation farm worker and his mother was a domestic worker. Jackie had four siblings, three brothers and one sister, Edgar, Frank, Mack, and Willa Mae. Jerry Robinson, Jackie’s father, left him, his mother, and his four siblings when Jackie was just six months old and never returned. Jackie’s mother was a very religious women, so she tried to do better for her and her children by moving by railroad out to Pasadena, California. Although conditions were not as bad as they were in Georgia, there was still racial discrimination in California. However the self-respect and self-confidence that Jackie’s mother taught him later would help him later facing the discrimination on the baseball field (Biography.com) So was Jackie Robinson entering Major League Baseball (MLB) a major historical event? Well Jackie Robinson entering the MLB was a major historical event, especially in baseball. Jackie Robinson’s persistence through the adversity he faced paved the way for all the other minorities that play in the MLB in today’s game, he played a part in the civil rights movement, he served in World War II (WWII), and played a variety of different sports throughout his life. His entering into the game was a major milestone in Baseball history.