B A S E B A L L:
B A S K E T B A L L:
B O X I N G:
F O O T B A L L:
G O L F:
H O C K E Y:
T E N N I S:
BIOFILE: DEREK JETER
By Scoop Malinowski

STATUS: New York Yankees shortstop.

CHILDHOOD HEROES: Dave Winfield, Barry Larkin - went to Michigan. Always been a big fan of his.

NICKNAME: Jete.

HOBBIES/INTERESTS: Sleep, watch movies, all sports, training. I don't have too many hobbies.

FUNNY BASEBALL MEMORY: In rookie ball I hit .202 ('92 in Tampa). Terrible year. Started off like oh-for-twenty something with 14 strikeouts. Then I went back to my locker after a game. And, do you remember those big, red wiffle bats? They had one hanging from my locker, like maybe you should use this [smiles]. It wasn't funny at the time but now it is.

FIRST JOB: Mowing lawns in Kalamazoo, Michigan (age 15).

FIRST CAR: '81 gray Datsun 310.

FAVORITE MEAL: Chicken parmigian or spaghetti and meatballs with a Coke.

FAVORITE BREAKFAST CEREAL: Frosted Flakes.

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: Baskin Robbins Gold Medal Ribbon.

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: Puerto Rico.

CHILDHOOD DREAM: Always to be a baseball player. My dad played in college. I always wanted to play for the Yankees.

PRE-GAME FEELING: Have fun. I wake up and go to Yankee Stadium every morning. For me it's the best thing I could ever be doing with my life. I am successful at something I love to do.

FAVORITE ATHLETES: Michael Jordan. Pete Sampras - he doesn't talk so much or anything like that. Just goes about his business. I like that. Tiger Woods. Jalen Rose. Tyrone Wheatley. Chris Webber. Knicks. University of Michigan football. Jennifer Capriati. I look at some of those young players in the NBA and they are so arrogant it's a turnoff. They seem to have no respect for anyone, anywhere. How can you not learn from those who've been around? There's a lot of baseball players who went through a lot, so that young players like me can have what we have. Players around me now went through a lot and risked a lot for people like me. I'd like to leave baseball better than I found it too.

GREATEST SPORTS MOMENT: Winning the World Series ('96). The very last out. I wanted to push Charlie Hayes (third baseman who caught it) out of the way [smiles]. A dream come true. I don't know if I can describe it. It depends on what your dream is. My dream was always to win a World Series. The celebration was great. I celebrated for a month [smiles].

MOST PAINFUL MOMENT: Getting sent down in '95. Got called up in the middle of the season for a few weeks (hit .250 in 48 at-bats). Getting send back down was the worst. I was in Columbus the rest of the season.

TOUGHEST COMPETITORS: Mariano Rivera - confident, doesn't back down to anyone. Pedro Martinez - he can beat you with any of three pitches.
FAVORITE MOVIES: Scarface. Seven. I'm a big Samuel Jackson and Morgan Freeman fan. Major League. Gladiator.
MUSICAL TASTES: DMX, Black Rob, Hip-hop, Christopher Williams, R&B, Mariah Carey.
Copyright 2002 TheBioFILE.com. All Rights Reserved.
Derek Jeter
STATUS: New York Yankees shortstop.
CHILDHOOD HEROES: Dave Winfield, Barry Larkin - went to Michigan.
Annika Sorenstam
STATUS: LPGA Rolex Player of the Year won eight tournaments in 2001.
CHILDHOOD HERO: I grew up playing tennis. I think Bjorn Borg had great sportsmanship, so I picked him.
Pete Sampras
STATUS: Tennis player. Has won more Grand Slam majors (14) than any player in history.
MUSICAL TASTES: Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens, REM, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.


You may have read Biofiles in such publications as: Tennis, Hockey Digest, NASCAR Winston Cup Scene,MLB.com, The Sporting News, The Daily Racing Form, The New York Post, New York Daily News, Eastsideboxing.com, Boxingtalk.com, Tennisweek.com, Tennis Week, Track & Field News, New York Giants publications, New York Sportscene, The Daily Record, Seattle Post Intelligencer, Orange Country (CA) Register, World Boxing, Boxing Digest, Boxing 2003, Boxing Update, Wrestling Digest, DirecTV Guide, Mets Inside Pitch, Reds Report, Full Contact Fighter, DIEHARD, Giants Insider, Jets Confidential, College & Pro Football Newsweekly, The Fist, World Boxing Japan, Boxinginsider.com, Tennisweek.com, etc.