Derek Jeter 'The Captain': Best Fan Tweets from Episode 1 of ESPN Documentary

Doric SamJuly 19, 2022

MADISON, WISCONSIN - JUNE 11: Former Major League Baseball player Derek Jeter walks off the 11th tee box during the Celebrity Foursome at the second round of the American Family Insurance Championship at University Ridge Golf Club on June 11, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

The first episode of The Captain, the highly-anticipated documentary centered around former New York Yankees shortstop and Baseball Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, premiered Monday night on ESPN.

The first installment of the seven-episode docuseries delved into how race impacted Jeter's childhood and gave a look at his start with the Yankees after getting drafted in 1992.

Here's a look at what fans were buzzing about on social media during Monday's episode.

Jon Alba @JonAlba
The dynasty New York Yankees are the reason I became a sportscaster, and why I love the game today. Anyone who argues Jeter's significance to the game is less than described is simply wrong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a>

Andrew Marchand @AndrewMarchand
Jeter's mom is the star of the first episode of the Jeter doc.

Wander Franco Enjoyer @Ryann_32
JETERS DAD SAID HE WAS A BETTER DEFENSIVE SHORT STOP THEN JETER.💀💀💀💀💀

Bobby Thompson @BThomps81
Derek Jeter has that Jordan and Brady like mentality. Cold blooded assassin who thrived on proving people wrong

ESPN @espn
"I'm a big 'I told you so' person." 😅 Never doubt <a href="https://twitter.com/derekjeter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@derekjeter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a> <a href="https://t.co/NbClf2gJZM">pic.twitter.com/NbClf2gJZM</a>

Jason Huber @_JasonHuber
Crazy how times have changed. Draft wasn't televised and Jeter didn't even know where the Yankees were picking. <a href="https://t.co/SCBqI3JHEU">https://t.co/SCBqI3JHEU</a>

Tate Frazier @tatefrazier
Before he was Derek Jeter he was Derrick Jeter <a href="https://t.co/BmPGturvur">pic.twitter.com/BmPGturvur</a>

Brent Martineau @BrentASJax
Derek Jeter was a 155 pounds and probably had an exit velo of 82 and threw it 83 across diamond. Would he even get drafted today? Haha.

Mike J. Asti @MikeAsti11
I’m not saying Derek Jeter wouldn’t have been a Hall of Famer no matter what, since baseball, more than other sports, worships stats and he has Cooperstown worthy stats. But his legacy wouldn’t be near what it is if he wasn’t a Yankee and played for a bad team his whole career.

Bobby Thompson @BThomps81
Derek Jeter’s dream was to be the shortstop for the Yankees, and his dream became a reality, crazy how fate works sometimes.

Colin Cowherd @ColinCowherd
Love the Jeter doc.

ESPN @espn
"My parents did a great job of sitting us down and saying, 'Look, you're going to get looks, people are going to treat you different, you're going to deal with racism.'"<a href="https://twitter.com/derekjeter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@derekjeter</a> on how his parents taught him to handle racial discrimination <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a> <a href="https://t.co/gC9GLHEobu">pic.twitter.com/gC9GLHEobu</a>

The Houston Astros had the No. 1 pick in the 1992 draft, which they used to select outfielder Phil Nevin. Passing up on the chance to draft Jeter caught the attention of fans on Twitter.

Paul Gallant @GallantSays
first interesting tidbit: 2 x MVP Hal Newhouser retiring as an Astros scout because they wouldn't take Jeter 1st overall in '92

SportsCenter @SportsCenter
The year <a href="https://twitter.com/derekjeter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@derekjeter</a> was drafted, the Astros had the No. 1 pick ... What if? 🤔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a> <a href="https://t.co/7oYdAjuJTZ">pic.twitter.com/7oYdAjuJTZ</a>

JC The Conductor of YT @CantH0LDMe
The Astros passed on Jeter? <a href="https://t.co/GHO7YCf6L9">pic.twitter.com/GHO7YCf6L9</a>

ʏᴀɴᴋᴇᴇꜱ ꜱᴢɴ @sinsvx
Astros fans when they heard their favorite team passed on Jeter <a href="https://t.co/Mp872ybNnh">pic.twitter.com/Mp872ybNnh</a>

Suzie Hunter @TheSuzieHunter
Crazy that Phil Nevin got drafted before Derek Jeter

Jeter himself was active online and posted a couple of tweets throughout the episode, taking the opportunity to poke fun at himself at times.

MLB @MLB
A message from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a>. <a href="https://t.co/2UvbBrGMsK">pic.twitter.com/2UvbBrGMsK</a>

Derek Jeter @derekjeter
For the record, the reason my hair looked so bad growing up was because my dad cut it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a> <a href="https://t.co/2mIRqozMAv">https://t.co/2mIRqozMAv</a>

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Derek Jeter @derekjeter
This was in the days before call waiting. Everyone 40+ will know what I’m talking about. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a>

Derek Jeter @derekjeter
What helped me grow up was being in Ann Arbor my first offseason enrolled at Michigan. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a>

Derek Jeter @derekjeter
Hope you enjoyed episode 1 of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheCaptain?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheCaptain</a>! Stay tuned for episode 2 on Thursday.

The second episode of The Captain will premiere on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET. Episodes will then be released weekly, with the next two premiering on July 28, followed by two more on Aug. 4 and the finale on Aug. 11.