In a time before the new Yankee Stadium, the YES Network, the ’90s dynasty, A-Rod, A-Roid, and even Derek Jeter, there was Bernie Williams; a flicker of light born out of a dark time of mismanagement and over-reliance on name value over present-day results for the New York Yankees.
Williams won’t make it to the Hall of Fame, despite a career that included ample post-season heroics, five All-Star selections, 2,336 hits and 287 home runs, but a lot of great players don’t. What Williams will get, though, is a robust send-off by the fans when his number 51 is retired, and he is honored with a plaque in Monument Park next month. Worthy honors that are long overdue, but you can’t entirely blame the Yankees for dragging their feet on this one because the 46-year-old Williams had yet to officially retire, despite having played his last game in 2006. That will change on Friday night.
The Yankees say Bernie Williams will sign a minor league contract Friday and then retire, nine years after playing his last game.
New York said Wednesday it will host a news conference with Williams before Friday night’s game against the Mets, and Williams will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The reasons for Williams’ non-retirement are known only to him, but you can’t blame the guy for holding onto the notion that he might still get into a Major League game for as long as possible, even as that notion went from being unlikely to ridiculous to impossible. That’s especially true when ones career ends well before they’re ready, as was the case with Williams, who had a briefly contentious divorce from the Yankees in 2007 (he’s been a fixture at team events since 2008) when the team refused to offer him anything more than a minor league contract and an invitation to Spring Training after hitting .281 with 12 home runs in the previous season.
Williams did inch toward a comeback in 2008 and 2009 in Puerto Rico, but it was never meant to be. Now, six years after his last competitive game, nine years after his last game as a Yankee, and weeks before his career is celebrated, it’s good to see that Williams is finally getting some closure.
Source: New York Daily News
