MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Derek Jeter has been doused inside the New York Yankees’ clubhouse after accepting the Ice Bucket Challenge and dishing off to Michael Jordan.
Jeter was sitting on a chair placed on the Yankees logo in the middle of the carpeted locker room when injured New York pitchers CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka dumped a large container of ice water over his head Tuesday before a game against the Houston Astros.
The 40-year-old captain, wearing a T-shirt, shorts, socks and sneakers, grimaced and yelled at the top of his lungs before jumping up with a smile to hug his laughing teammates.
Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo captured the video on his cellphone, and the Yankees provided the footage to MLB.com before tweeting out the link.
The challenge, a social media phenomenon, is part of a program launched by the ALS Association to raise money for fighting ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Participants challenge others on video to do it or donate money to ALS before dumping icy water over their heads.
Seconds before he got drenched, Jeter said he was accepting his challenge from former teammate Roger Clemens, actor Mickey Rourke and Yankees General Partner and Vice Chairman Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal. The star shortstop said he was challenging his girlfriend, model Hannah Davis, as well as Jordan and actor Kevin Connolly.
“Before I do this I have to acknowledge a couple of former captains, one Lou Gehrig, for whom the horrific disease is named after, and also Pete Frates who was the former captain of the Boston College baseball team who was the inspiration behind this whole ALS bucket challenge,” Jeter said.
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