30 Years Ago Today, Derek Jeter Played his First Game in Albany New York
Jeter Makes his A-C Yankee Debut as a Teenager
An all-time great Yankee and now Hall of Famer, Derek Jeter, had a nice little run playing ball right in our backyard. I got chills when I saw this incredible picture (below) of the Captain wearing an AC Yankees jersey with "Albany" proudly stitched across the chest.
It's crazy when you think about the things associated with Derek Jeter throughout his illustrious career with the New York Yankees. The Captain, #2, a million clutch hits, Mr. November, all the championships, unforgettable game-saving defensive gems, supermodels, superstar status, and now, baseball immortality as he was voted into the Hall Of Fame 2020.
How in the World Has It Been 30 Years?
What's even wilder is that before any of that, he spent most of the summer of 1994 playing in our hometown and even celebrating his 20th birthday in the Capital Region.
Where does time go?
The photograph below is more than 30 years old, and Jeter's life is ahead of his. Still, the only thing he's thinking about is what the pitcher will throw next, laser-focused, ready to pounce if the ball was hit anywhere near him at the old Heritage Park in Colonie.
In 34 games with the Double-A New York Yankees affiliate, Jeter batted .377 before being promoted to Triple-A Columbus, then it was on to the Bronx at the end of the 1995 season, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Derek Jeter will always be one of my all-time favorite Yankees. Don Mattingly, Mike Pagliarulo, Paul O'Neill, and Derek Jeter—that's my list.
I got chills when I saw this...
Shoutout to Albanyarchives on Instagram for digging it up and posting it.
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