Living Legend: Derek Jeter

2021LivingLegendLOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM & FACTORY

DEREK JETER

BY DAWN ANDERSON

On Friday, November 12, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory will present Derek Jeter with the 2021 Living Legend Award. The New York Yankees legend was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Class of 2020 in September 2021, the fi rst such ceremony in almost two years.

Derek Jeter is now CEO of the Miami Marlins and “continues to be the driving force behind the Turn 2 Foundation,” established in 1996 to give back to West Michigan, Tampa, and New York City communities. “To date, the Turn 2 Foundation has awarded more than $30 million in grants to create and support signature programs that motivate young people to turn away from drugs and alcohol and ‘Turn 2’ healthy lifestyles.”

The Living Legend ceremony will also kick off the 16th Annual Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Auction with Hunt Auctions, Inc., a fundraiser for Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation. Created in 2007, the annual Living Legend Award honors “a person whose career in baseball and life outside the game have taken on legendary qualities by virtue of his talents, achievement, and conduct.”

Jeter joins the prestigious company of past recipients, including Mike Schmidt, Frank Thomas, Dave Winfi eld, Andre Dawson, Ozzie Smith, Cal Ripken, Jr., Tony Gwynn, Johnny Bench, Ernie Banks, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, and Ken Griffey, Jr.

Derek Jeter is a fi ve-time World Series champion, an MLB 3000-hit club member, and “one of the greatest to ever play the game.” He was a 14-time All-Star and the 2000 World Series MVP. Jeter received fi ve Golden Gloves, fi ve Silver Slugger Awards, two Hank Aaron Awards, and a Roberto Clemente Award. During his 20 MLB seasons, Derek Jeter used a Louisville Slugger P72 for all of his over 12,500 plate appearances. When Jeter retired in 2014, Louisville Slugger retired the P72 bat model and renamed it the DJ2 in his honor.

Regarding his upcoming 2021 Living Legend Award, Jeter said, “It’s an honor to be recognized by the great team at Louisville Slugger Factory & Museum with this award. Louisville Slugger played a very integral role in my playing career, and I appreciate all that they have done for the game of baseball.”

For more information about Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, visit sluggermuseum.com, follow @sluggermuseum on Facebook and Twitter, and @slugger_museum on Instagram.■