Derek Jeter stands as one of the most respected and beloved players in the history of baseball. Over the course of his 20-year career, Jeter established himself as a true champion and a model of consistency on and off the field. He concluded his career with five World Championship Rings and over 3,000 hits, but he was most popularly known for the impact he had on a team. All through his career, Jeter represented a sentiment of competitiveness, fearlessness, and most importantly, safety amongst New Yorkers. But being the face of a competitive sport is never easy. So how did Derek Jeter deal with all the surrounding negativity?

While it was never easy, it was Jeter’s father, Sanderson Charles Jeter, who helped him surpass the negativity of the sport.

In an interview from 2014, a few months before the 14-time All-Star left the Bronx for one final team, Jeter spoke about the impact his father had on his life.

Derek Jeter’s father was the source of positivity in a sport filled with negativity

While the Jeter household is famously or infamously known today for the disciplinary contract they made young Derek sign, their impact on the shortstop’s eventually opulent and fruitful MLB career can’t be ignored. And in the Daily News interview from 2014, it’s visible.

Captain Clutch, or Mr. November, spoke about his dad being an optimistic person, who helped him look away from the gloomy side of a toxic and always competing environment. Jeter said, “My dad is very positive, very optimistic. We play a sport that’s full of negativity on a daily basis, but he always tries to find a positive out of things. He’s been a very, very vital part of my career and obviously my entire life.”

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In addition to that, Jeter explained how he tried to imbibe his father’s methods in how he went about life, and said, “He always tried to find a positive, so that’s what I try to do.”

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What do you think about the kind of impact Jeter’s parents had on his MLB career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!