End of the Road...
Saying goodbye is hard to do. Breakups are never easy, even if it is mutual. You form a bond and a trust with another, which is, essentially, what Bernie Williams, the New York Yankees organization, and the fans of the Bronx Bombers have done. But I would say, it also extends past just the “New York Yankees” family.
I grew up, and proudly, still am, an Oakland A’s fan. I was never a Yankee fan. But, let me point out, I am first and foremost a baseball enthusiast. This sport, which I believe is the greatest sport, is filled with a rich history, which the Yankee organization is also overflowing with. I respect their rich history of 26 World Championships. Yogi Berra being part of 10 of them. The Scooter, Joltin’ Joe, Ruth, Booze Hound Mantle, and of course, my grandfathers favorite player of all-time, Lou Gehrig. And the most storied franchise in sports history, the most coveted place to play and ground to cover is in Center Field of that Cathedral, Yankee Stadium.
Now, Bernie Williams’ career didn’t pan out to be as great as the careers of Mantle or DiMaggio, but he did carry on the legacy and the torch of playing Center Field. Bernie Williams played in just under 2,000 games as a member of the only organization he has ever been a part of. He is 5th all-time in Yankee’s history in hits. He has 4 gold gloves, appeared in 5 consecutive all-star games from 1997-2001. He played in 120 post-season games and compiled a very respectable .277/22/80. Those 22 HRs are also the most all-time in post-season history. In the 1995 ALDS against the Seattle Mariners, he became the first player in post-season history to hit a HR from both sides of the plate in the same game. In that ALDS, the first post-season of his career, he posted a remarkable .429/2/5.
He was clutch so many times during his brilliant career. And I do not use the word brilliant loosely. That is exactly what he was. In an era with performance enhancing drugs, Bernie performed and excelled on the grandest stage, the playoffs, and in the toughest city do that, New York City, for the greatest and most storied franchise in any sports history, the New York Yankees. I am not saying Bernie is a Hall of Famer, I do not think his career merits that distinction. But he deserves to be acknowledged as one of the greatest Yankees to ever wear pinstripes.
I am also writing this because of his character. Never once have you heard one negative flaw said, or written about him from the media, coaching staff, teammates or anyone he has played against. He has represented the New York Yankee organization with class.
I remember the first time I met Bernie Williams. I was only 15 years old. It was December of 1996, right after the Yankees were guided by Bernie Williams to their first World Series Championship in 18 years. I attended a Yankee fan fest. When I arrived, there were 3 people that I felt I needed to meet. First was David Cone. He was the cornerstone of the Mets franchise in the late 80’s, and then anchored the Kansas City Royals Staff in the early 90’s, and was also a member of the Toronto Blue Jays (I still remember like it was yesterday when the Yanks traded for Coney at the trade deadline of the ’95 season. When it was finalized, everyone on the Yankee team was ecstatic, to the point that when it was finalized during one of their games, Jim Leyritz broke out Cone Heads.) And I’ll tell you, meeting Cone was an honor. That year, he came back from rotator cuff surgery and pitched a 7 inning 1 hitter against my A’s. But I had to congratulate him on it, and he was extremely grateful and humble with my congratulatory condolences. Another class act (although, earlier in his career, he was more of a rebel while with the Mets. Some great reads on that.) The other person I wanted to meet was Joe Torre. Here was a man who was just fired by the St. Louis Cardinals and now took over for Buck Showalter (who should never have been fired by the Yankees) and managed the Yanks to the World Series, all the while his brother passed away during the fall classic. Unfortunately, I was unable to meet Mr. Torre. And finally, I wanted to meet Bernie Williams, the player who had been with the major league club since ’91, when things didn’t look too good for the organization. And when I met him, he was a true gentleman, a class act. I had him autograph the same bat that Cone signed, and that is one of the most treasured pieces I own. It isn’t worth as much as some of my other memorabilia, but it is special to me.
I do not root the Yankees, but I respect most of their players, for their work ethic and for the way they respect and play the game. And the one who led them by example all along was Bernie Williams.
I grew up, and proudly, still am, an Oakland A’s fan. I was never a Yankee fan. But, let me point out, I am first and foremost a baseball enthusiast. This sport, which I believe is the greatest sport, is filled with a rich history, which the Yankee organization is also overflowing with. I respect their rich history of 26 World Championships. Yogi Berra being part of 10 of them. The Scooter, Joltin’ Joe, Ruth, Booze Hound Mantle, and of course, my grandfathers favorite player of all-time, Lou Gehrig. And the most storied franchise in sports history, the most coveted place to play and ground to cover is in Center Field of that Cathedral, Yankee Stadium.
Now, Bernie Williams’ career didn’t pan out to be as great as the careers of Mantle or DiMaggio, but he did carry on the legacy and the torch of playing Center Field. Bernie Williams played in just under 2,000 games as a member of the only organization he has ever been a part of. He is 5th all-time in Yankee’s history in hits. He has 4 gold gloves, appeared in 5 consecutive all-star games from 1997-2001. He played in 120 post-season games and compiled a very respectable .277/22/80. Those 22 HRs are also the most all-time in post-season history. In the 1995 ALDS against the Seattle Mariners, he became the first player in post-season history to hit a HR from both sides of the plate in the same game. In that ALDS, the first post-season of his career, he posted a remarkable .429/2/5.
He was clutch so many times during his brilliant career. And I do not use the word brilliant loosely. That is exactly what he was. In an era with performance enhancing drugs, Bernie performed and excelled on the grandest stage, the playoffs, and in the toughest city do that, New York City, for the greatest and most storied franchise in any sports history, the New York Yankees. I am not saying Bernie is a Hall of Famer, I do not think his career merits that distinction. But he deserves to be acknowledged as one of the greatest Yankees to ever wear pinstripes.
I am also writing this because of his character. Never once have you heard one negative flaw said, or written about him from the media, coaching staff, teammates or anyone he has played against. He has represented the New York Yankee organization with class.
I remember the first time I met Bernie Williams. I was only 15 years old. It was December of 1996, right after the Yankees were guided by Bernie Williams to their first World Series Championship in 18 years. I attended a Yankee fan fest. When I arrived, there were 3 people that I felt I needed to meet. First was David Cone. He was the cornerstone of the Mets franchise in the late 80’s, and then anchored the Kansas City Royals Staff in the early 90’s, and was also a member of the Toronto Blue Jays (I still remember like it was yesterday when the Yanks traded for Coney at the trade deadline of the ’95 season. When it was finalized, everyone on the Yankee team was ecstatic, to the point that when it was finalized during one of their games, Jim Leyritz broke out Cone Heads.) And I’ll tell you, meeting Cone was an honor. That year, he came back from rotator cuff surgery and pitched a 7 inning 1 hitter against my A’s. But I had to congratulate him on it, and he was extremely grateful and humble with my congratulatory condolences. Another class act (although, earlier in his career, he was more of a rebel while with the Mets. Some great reads on that.) The other person I wanted to meet was Joe Torre. Here was a man who was just fired by the St. Louis Cardinals and now took over for Buck Showalter (who should never have been fired by the Yankees) and managed the Yanks to the World Series, all the while his brother passed away during the fall classic. Unfortunately, I was unable to meet Mr. Torre. And finally, I wanted to meet Bernie Williams, the player who had been with the major league club since ’91, when things didn’t look too good for the organization. And when I met him, he was a true gentleman, a class act. I had him autograph the same bat that Cone signed, and that is one of the most treasured pieces I own. It isn’t worth as much as some of my other memorabilia, but it is special to me.
I do not root the Yankees, but I respect most of their players, for their work ethic and for the way they respect and play the game. And the one who led them by example all along was Bernie Williams.
posted by Mark D. Miller at 8:26 AM
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