Days of Yankees Past: Bernie Williams

You hear that? That is the sound of Yankee stadium cheering…for a man playing a guitar? However, that is not just any man with a guitar. That is the one and only, fan-favorite Bernie Williams. In a career that spanned 16 years and helped establish the evil empire as a dynasty, Williams also established himself as a key piece of the ever-changing roster. Furthermore, he won over the crude New York fans and media with his dedication to the pinstripes, passion for the game, and reliability on and off the field. 

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Williams signed with the Yankees at the age of 17 in 1985. He played minor league ball until 1991 when he got his shot with the Yankees following injuries. In his first season, at the ripe age of 22, Williams failed to impress. He appeared in 85 games and batted an unimpressive .238. His inconsistency saw him sent down and called back up. It wasn’t until the 1993 season that Williams was the every day center fielder and appeared in 139 games. However, despite securing the every day job, Williams continued to struggle. His woes were so bad that The Boss, George Steinbrenner demanded him to be traded. Talks circulated around Williams for years but the trigger was never pulled and the Yankees could not have been more thankful for the reluctance.

In 1995, four years after his debut, Bernie showed what he could do. He had a stand out year and in 144 games batted .307 with 18 home runs, 82 RBI, and 93 runs. His numbers continued to improve and in 1996, he was a major factor in helping the Yankees win the World Series. In that regular season Williams batted .305 with 29 home runs, 108 runs, and 102 RBI. He led the team in home runs, runs, and stolen bases and finished second in RBI to Tino Martinez. The switch hitting star saw his hard work payoff when he won the ALCS MVP. In 1998 Williams signed one of the biggest contracts at the time, a 7-year, $87.5 million commitment.

For the next few years of his career, Williams gave the fans and franchise something they could rely on. He became the epitome of consistency and posted similar numbers every season. His numbers finally came down to Earth near the end of his playing career before he declared his retirement in 2006. However, number 51 left the pinstripes with four World Series rings, four Gold Gloves, one Silver Slugger, and five All-Star appearances, along with one American League batting title. The case to retire his number can be made and should be made. He still returns to Yankee Stadium from time-to-time to play the guitar and there is a mutual respect between he and the fans for the service that he provided the organization with in the years he donned the pinstripes. While not considered one of the “Core Four”, Bernie Williams had just as much of an impact on the dynasty as any single member that is more celebrated and recognized for their contributions.