Iconic Athlete #1: Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is baseball's latest immortal. A revolutionary player, he's as loved by New York fans as any player who came before him. Jeter's career spanned four times longer than that of the average ballplayer. But, of course, there was never anything average about the Yankees' 11^th captain.

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A Military Upbringing

Jeter's parents are both U.S. Army sergeants. They first met while on active duty in Frankfurt, Germany, but ended up settling in Michigan. Jeter's father is African American and hails from Alabama. His Irish-Catholic mother is a Jersey girl. The Jeter household was filled with love, but also governed by strict rules. Jeter and younger sister Sharlee were taught to respect others, never use the word "can't," do their chores in a timely manner and oblige by a strict curfew. The Jeter kids were united by a value system and a love of sports, which was shared by the entire extended family. Jeter's grandmother back east was a Yankees fan, and her influence may have been more pivotal than she realized during his youth. Jeter became obsessed not only with the game, but with the Yankees. He surrounded himself with the pinstripes, had a blue-and-white room filled with cool Yankees stuff and wore Yankees-emblazoned clothing incessantly. He also told anyone who would listen that he would play for the team someday. Perhaps prescience, as well as talent, was on his side.

A Soggy Start

Jeter was drafted by the Yankees with the sixth overall pick in 1992 and subsequently sent to the Rookie League at age 18. Horrifically error-prone, the homesick kid cried into his pillow every night for the better part of a year. His first record was a negative one -- 56 errors -- although his hitting simultaneously improved. It looked like Jeter wasn't going to make it when management sent fielding expert Brian Butterfield to work with Jeter. But Butterfield, impressed with Jeter's determination, helped him improve his game. Jeter continued to improve, rapidly climbing through the Yankees' farm system. By 1994, he was named Minor League Player of the Year.

The Captain

Jeter's first full season in the majors was in 1996. He helped catapult the Yankees to a World Series title that year against the Atlanta Braves. A shortstop to be reckoned with, Jeter won the American League Rookie of the Year Award.

A top player on a top team, Jeter was unstoppable, cool under pressure and the solidifying presence the Yankees rallied around. In 2000, he became the first player to be named to the All-Star team and be named World Series MVP in the same season. In 2001, he astonished fans and the entire baseball world with the iconic "flip play" during Game 3 of the 2001 American League Division Series against the Oakland A's.

After many seasons of unrelenting brilliance on the field, Jeter was named Yankees captain in 2003. He continued to rack up hardware, including five Gold Glove Awards and five World Series  rings.

Jeter entered his 40s in 2013 and felt the strain of a long-term ankle injury. He announced he would retire at the end of the 2014 season. One of the most honored players ever to grace a baseball diamond, each opposing team that went up against the Yankees honored Jeter with a gift in his final season.

Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation

Jeter was given baseball's highest honor, the Roberto Clemente Award, for off-the-field accomplishments. He founded the non-profit Turn 2 Foundation in 2009, whose mission is to support kids to lead positive lives and to stay away from substances like drugs and alcohol. The foundation, which is largely run by his parents and sister, is geared towards promoting the type of lifestyle that the Jeter family has always valued.

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Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.