Derek Jeter honored as an exclusive Yankees captain

Jet, June 23, 2003

Derek Jeter has won four World Series and five American League pennants in his six seasons, but the five-time All-Star shortstop was still floored when he received yet another great honor.

Jeter was recently named the New York Yankees captain at the start of a series in Cincinnati. Jeter, who turns 29 at the end of the month, is the New York franchise's 11th captain in history as he joins the likes of such Yankee greats as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Willie Randolph.

"To just look at the guys who have preceded me, they're great baseball players and greater people," said Jeter, who won the World Series Game MVP honors in 2000, and in that same season was named the All-Star Game MVP as well. "This is a great honor. Captain of the Yankees is not a title that is thrown around lightly. It is a huge responsibility and one that I take very seriously. I thank Mr. Steinbrenner for having such confidence in reef

Team owner George Steinbrenner is the only person in the organization who can name a captain, a title for the team that has been vacant since Don Mattingly retired in 1995.

"I have always been very, very careful about giving such a responsibility to one of my players," Steinbrenner said, "but I can not think of a single player that I have ever had who is more deserving of this honor than Derek Jeter."