Jeter reveals unconventional way he broke out of worst slump

Former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Jeter reveals unconventional way he broke out of his worst hitting slump

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 2/2/23

New York Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter revealed on Wednesday night that he once turned to a teammate's golden thong to break out of one of the worst hitting slump of his career.

Jeter made the admission during his appearance on the "Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" where he played a game called "True Confessions."

During the game Fallon and his guests are given two envelopes, one containing an embarrassing true story and the other a lie. When it came to Jeter, Fallon read an envelope that said "I once wore a thong in front of thousands of people in public."

Jeter confessed that was the truth, and it was all a way to break out of a hitting slump early in the 2004 season.

Did @derekjeter once wear a thong in public in front of thousands of people? Jimmy & @RitaOra try to get to the bottom of it in True Confessions! #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/phc8CaiDHG
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) February 2, 2023

During the segment Jeter said he had a new teammate that year who would wear the golden thong to break out of his own slumps and would have it hanging in his locker. Every day when Jeter walked into the locker room his teammate would point to it, urging him to wear it. Finally after an 0-for-24 slump Jeter gave in and put it on during the April 29 game against the Oakland A's.

How did things go for Jeter in that game?

He homered on the first pitch he saw and then went on a tear over the next two weeks.

Jeter also insisted there was no "thong to skin contact" and that he wore it over a pair of shorts.

There is speculation that the new teammate in question was first baseman Jason Giambi, but that would be a generous description of a "new" teammate since Giambi had already played in New York for two full seasons prior to 2004. It is also possible that the season just blurred together over the past 20 years. Whoever it was, it certainly worked for Jeter.

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