Derek Jeter has amusingly revealed the steps he took to convince his children to sit through a baseball game, with the former New York Yankee admitting he resorted to bribery.
Jeter, 43, opened up about the parenting tactic during an appearance on Today, where he revealed that he promised his daughters Story, three, and Bella, five, they could have ice cream if they would sit through their first baseball game.
The game in question, which took place in September at Yankee Stadium, also happened to include a ceremony celebrating Jeter’s induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“I told them if they stay in their seats, I’d get them some ice cream afterwards,” Jeter told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.
However, when it came time for Jeter to give a speech during the game, his eldest daughter felt it was more important for him to inform the stadium about the ice cream he’d promised her and her sister.
“I’m actually giving a speech. My oldest is tapping me on the shoulder and she said: ‘Tell everyone that I’m getting ice cream after the game,’” he recalled, after admitting that his daughters “absolutely” didn’t recognise the significance of their first baseball game.
Jeter’s recollection comes after he shared an Instagram video taken of his family on their way to the baseball game, in which his wife Hannah could be heard asking their daughters if they were excited to be going to Yankee Stadium.
After Bella replied “yes,” the 14-time All-Star then asked: “What are you excited to see at Yankee Stadium?”
In response, Bella said: “I want to eat!” Jeter had little luck extracting a different answer from his daughters, as they clarified that they wanted to “eat ice cream” after he asked what else they were excited for.
Jeter, who also shares one-year-old daughter River with Hannah, later shared a photo of the family standing inside Yankee Stadium.
In the caption, he revealed that his daughters received the ice cream they were promised.
“Great to be back home at Yankee Stadium! Thanks to everyone for making it such a special night for me and my family. The girls had a blast and finally got their ice cream,” he wrote.
