Jeter Enshrined in Athletics Hall of Fame

Post date: Aug 21, 2015 4:33:29 PM

Franchise icon Derek Jeter was enshrined today in the team Hall of Fame

In a formal ceremony in front of a standing-room crowd last night at Liberty Bell Park, the Athletics organization enshrined one of it's original and all-time greatest heroes into it's Hall of Fame. Derek Jeter, the Captain of the 2002 WFBL championship team, became the 8th winner of the club's John Marzano Award on entry into the group of A's immortals.

Back in July of 1998, Jeter was just 24 years old when A's GM Matt Veasey made him the team's 2nd round choice in the original franchise-stocking WFBL Draft, the 18th player selected in league history. He would go on to become the starting shortstop in Philly from 1998-2002, and then returned for another year in 2004.

"I was stunned that he was still there," said Veasey. "I honestly considered him with our 1st round pick at 3rd overall. He was an absolute steal for us at 18. A true building block."

Developing into one of the team's best players, Jeter took over the Captain role in 2001 in a vote by his teammates, holding it through the title win, and then having the honor re-bestowed upon him on his '04 return.

"That was a great team. Great times. Most of us were young. Winning our first WFBL championship. And a lot of us: myself, Scotty (Rolen), AJ (Andruw Jones), Jeff (Kent), and of course Carlos (Delgado) had been together for years. Being honored as the Captain by those guys just made it all even more special" said Jeter.

Jeter was honored at a league level as well, being named to the 1999 WFBL season-ending All-Star Team during an era of great shortstops. That same season he took home the A's franchise Jimmy Foxx Award as the team's top offensive player. He was enshrined in the WFBL Hall of Fame in 2005.

At the time of this enshrinement, Jeter currently sits in 2nd place on the Athletics all-time Hits and Runs lists, is 3rd in Steals, and 6th in RBI.

Jeter is the 7th member of that 2002 championship team enshrined in the franchise Hall of Fame, and the 8th honoree overall. He joins previous enshrinees Paul Molitor, Mike Piazza, Jeff Kent, Carlos Delgado, Billy Wagner, Roy Halladay, and Roy Oswalt. All but Oswalt were a part of that '02 club.