The Life of Derek Jeter: Before a World Champion"Derek Jeter, a professional baseball player for the Yankees..." are the exact words that Derek Jeter same one he used in his eighth-grade yearbook (Jeter xvi). For as long as he can remember, Jeter has wanted to be a New York Yankee. Fifteen years after predicting he would become a professional ballplayer for the Yankees, Derek Jeter is now more than a Yankee. Jeter isn't just a Yankee; he's a family guy and a world champion. His career began when he was five years old and everything evolved from there. Sports fans know what Derek Jeter's life is like now, but what life was like before he became a world champion, superstar and captain of the New York Yankees. Derek Jeter's life has begun, and baseball is about to change forever. On June 26, 1974, Charles and Dorothy Jeter gave birth to one of today's greatest athletes, Derek Jeter, in Pequannock, New Jersey (Biography par 1). Charles, being Caucasian, and Dorothy, being African American, gave Derek his tan complexion. For the next four years Jeter lived in New Jersey within 30 miles of Yankee Stadium (Biography par 1). Not knowing at the time that he would return to New York as a Yankee, Jeter's family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where Derek was able to start playing baseball at age five and would spend summers with his grandmother in New Jersey. (Biography par. 1). He convinced him to be a Yankee fan by taking him to multiple games over the summer at Yankee Stadium. Soon, Jeter came to idolize Dave Winfield (Biography par 1), who played the outfield for the Yankees from 1981 to 1988 (Winfield), and was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Now that Jeter has been exposed to baseball and the Yankees... at the center of the card... a healthy lifestyle. He also taught children to "steer away" from substances such as drugs and alcohol. From the moment Jeter was born he should have worn a Yankee uniform. He was born to play baseball and obviously realized it. With his hard work and commitment, he is now the captain of the New York Yankees. But without his hard work, dedication and family support, Jeter wouldn't be even close to being a Yankee. Now a four-time world champion and two-time World Series MVP. Jeter continues to work hard and achieve more and more goals. Derek Jeter will soon be remembered as one of the best players to ever play baseball. Works Cited1. Jeter, Derek. The life you imagine: life lessons to make your dreams come true. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2000.2. Derek Jeter-Biography. November 1, 2006 .3. Dave Winfield-Fielding. October 30th 2006 .