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MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 13, 2010

Derek Jeter

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

Q. How did you find out about the news?
DEREK JETER: I woke up and had a lot of messages and that was how I found out. So shocked to say the least. I don't know if you can really put it into words. It's sad, but you're just shocked.

Q. Just back here, there was so much outside of the Yankee family, George Steinbrenner became such an icon in pop culture, so to speak, especially with the whole Seinfeld aspect of it. Was there ever a moment in all of your years that had that quirky experience with the so-called boss?
DEREK JETER: I had a lot of quirky experiences.

Q. Is there one that stands out, though?
DEREK JETER: You know what the thing is, I have a great relationship with the boss. I've known him since I was 18 years old. You know, obviously there's a respect factor because he's the owner and you know, I work for him, but we were more friends than anything. I'd go visit him in the off-season because we both live in Tampa. We would have bets on Ohio State/Michigan football games. I've been in trouble a couple times. We've filmed commercials with him dancing. It's tough, because he's more than just an owner to me. He's a friend of mine. He will be deeply missed.

Q. You had such a great relationship with your father, and in many ways, was George a father figure for you?
DEREK JETER: No question. I think he's a father figure to everyone that was in our organization in the past or present, because he really took care of his players. You know, whether it was a player that's on the team now or someone that played for a week 30 years ago. He really went out of his way to take care of the players.
That's why Old Timer's Day is so special. In spring training we have a lot of the ex-players that come back and it all starts with the boss. You can't say enough good things about him. Most people know him as being this vocal owner, but if you really got an opportunity to know him, you got to realize not only the great things he did with the community but with the past players and current players.

Q. What is your best storey that you think defines a sense of who he was?
DEREK JETER: Best story, I have so many stories. The thing with the boss, he's an old football coach. So his way, he sort of looked at the baseball season like we played 12 games and we had to win every single day.
But he really expected to win every night, every day. I remember my first, second year, I was on third base ask got doubled off on a line drive in the infield and we won the game and after the game he was yelling at me for, "Don't ever get doubled off again." We won the game but he expected perfection, and that rubbed off, and whether it was the players, the front office, the people working at the stadium, didn't make a difference. He expected perfection.

Q. You talked about how much it meant to you when he named you captain. Do you remember the conversation that you had with him when he told you he was going to do it and what you were feeling it and what he said at the time and what that meant to you.
DEREK JETER: Yeah, I got a phone call saying that the boss wanted to talk to me and figured I was in trouble again. And I called him, and you know, he was saying how much respect he had for me and that he wanted to name me captain and would I accept that role.
That's a day I'll definitely remember. I was in Cincinnati and you know, it's a memory I always cherish because -- not only because I thought I was getting in trouble, but I realized what that title meant to him and to this Yankee organization.

Q. Everyone coming up new of his reputation as the boss; can you recall one incident when he sort of first touched you with something he did that came from the heart, either to you or someone else?
DEREK JETER: Well, it goes back to the first time I ever met him down in the Gulf Coast League. I had just signed, and you know, he was this figure that's larger-than-life. Yeah, I was a Yankee fan, so I was well aware of him and his reputation. He came up to me and talked to me by name. I was more shocked that he knew who I was, but I guess because he gave me some of his money, he had to know who I was. (Laughter.)
Right from that day he said, "We expect big things from you." I'll always remember that, because first impressions, you never forget. He expects a lot.

Q. That was your first impression; what was your last impression? What was the final time that you saw George?
DEREK JETER: Final time I saw him was Opening Day. I'm actually going back home to Tampa after the game tonight, so I was actually planning on trying to see him when I was down there these next couple of days. It's unfortunate that it happened today. But the last time was when we got a chance to present him with the championship ring on Opening Day.
It was a great experience. It was fun. And I got a chance to tease him because he had an Ohio State ring and I told him to take it off now and place it with the Yankee ring.
Those are the memories that you remember, those intimate moments, doesn't necessarily have to be with a lot of people. We had a lot of one-on-one moments, and that was the last time I saw him.

End of FastScripts

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