Derek Jeter seemed like more of a lock for the Baseball Hall of Fame than almost any other player in recent memory, yet even he still felt nervous about the situation.
Jeter received the news on Tuesday that he was elected to the Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020, joining Larry Walker. The former New York Yankees shortstop admitted he was “nervous” about the situation and “speechless” when he received the news.
“I was speechless when I got the call,” Jeter told MLB Network. “Everyone said ‘anticipate a phone call coming’ at such and such time, but quite frankly, I was pretty nervous. And when I got [the call], I didn’t know what to say.”
Jeter received 396 of 397 possible votes, meaning yes, he missed out on being a unanimous selection by one vote. Even though he was highly regarded as a player and beloved by many, he knew his induction wasn’t guaranteed until he got the call.
