"I have never been so nervous and scared in my life" - Yankees icon Derek Jeter recounts his most nerve-wracking TV appearance

Playing in front of a crowd never seemed to bother Derek Jeter. In his 20 years as a member of the New York Yankees, the shortstop was praised for his calm and collected composure.

However, that is not to say that Jeter approaches acting with the same degree of confidence that he does with baseball. In a recent interview in which the 49-year-old Jeter recounted his brief career on TV, he shared that one particular instance left him rather nervous.

In January 2001, Derek Jeter appeared on Saturday Night Live in scenes both as a guest-star as well as a host. Although Jeter came off as a little shaky, nobody seemed to blame the young infielder for any acting flaws.

In a recent interview with a fan, Jeter recounted the episode, which had him co-starring with Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon and Will Farrell. About the encounter, Jeter claimed:

"Saturday Night Live. I have never been so nervous and scared in my life when I hosted Saturday Night Live, but it felt good when I was finished."

Playing for the New York Yankees between 1995 and 2014, Jeter won the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year Award, five Gold Gloves, five Silver Sluggers and five World Series. After retiring from baseball in 2014, Jeter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020, his first year of eligibility.

Now a married father of four, the Michigan native continues to stay busy in retirement. A past owner of the Miami Marlins, Jeter remains an avid golfer and even appears as a part-time MLB color analyst.

"Derek Jeter’s opening monologue on SNL in 2001 is HILARIOUS" - Bronx Central

His wife, Hannah, has been in his life since 2012. The pair announced their engagement in 2014 and were wed two years later. The Jeters also welcomed their first son, Kaius, into the world earlier this year.

It's hard to knock Derek Jeter off his game

Regarded as one of the best fielding shortstops of his generation, Jeter never seemed to break his focus at the plate.

While the brief foray into acting might have rattled Derek Jeter, it may have served as a way for the star to manage his emotions, something that could have had some positive effects on the remainder of his career.