Bernie Williams
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- For other persons named Bernie Williams, see Bernard Williams (disambiguation).
Bernabé "Bernie" Williams Figueroa (born September 13, 1968 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is an outfielder for the New York Yankees and guitar-playing jazz recording artist. A switch hitter, Williams has played his entire career (1991-present) with the New York Yankees. He is Major League Baseball's all-time leader in postseason home runs (22), runs scored (82) and runs batted in (80). Currently, he is a member of the Yankees, playing all outfield positions and acting as the team's designated hitter. He is likely to get a fair amount of playing time in the corner outfield spots with Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield out with wrist injuries, though he also sees time in center field on days when starting center fielder, Johnny Damon, is given off for rest.
Background
As a young man growing up in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, the athletic Williams developed strong interests in baseball and classical guitar. He was also active in track and field, winning four gold medals at an international meet at the age of 15. He was one of the world's best 400-meter runners for his age. On his seventeenth birthday, September 13 1985, he signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees' organization.Playing for the Yankees' Double-A team in Albany, he continued to develop his athletic skills — particularly in the coveted area of switch hitting. Although viewed as a great prospect by the Yankees' management, his rise to the majors was delayed by the solid outfield that the team had developed in the early 1990s.
Nevertheless, he managed to break into the majors in 1991 to replace the injured Roberto Kelly for the second half of that season. He batted .238 in some 300 at bats. He was demoted to the minors until Danny Tartabull was injured, and Williams earned his stay at center by putting up solid numbers.
Williams is one of four current veterans (the others are Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera) who came up through the Yankees organization and has played their entire professional career with the Yankees.
Career
Williams had become the regular Yankees center fielder by 1993. The management of Buck Showalter helped keep him with the Yankees through 1995, when George Steinbrenner sought to trade him. Steinbrenner was frustrated by the team's difficulty in placing him in any of the traditional baseball player molds. He had good speed, but rarely stole bases. In center, he was highly capable at tracking down fly balls and line drives, but had a weak throwing arm. He was a consistent hitter, but lacked home run power. Throughout the early 1990s he hit in the middle of the order as management tried to figure out where he fit in.
1995 was a breakout season for Williams. He hit 18 home runs and led the team in runs, hits, total bases and stolen bases. In the 1996 American League Championship Series, Williams hit a memorable home run in Game 1 and went on to win the ALCS MVP award, and the Yankees subsequently won the World Series that year.
During the 1998 season, Williams finished with a .339 average, becoming the first player to win a batting title, Gold Glove award, and World Series ring in the same year.
After that season Williams inked a seven year, $85 million, contract with the Yankees.
The last year covered by his contract, 2005, proved to be a difficult one. He started 99 games in center field and 22 games as a designated hitter, but his already weak arm was highlighted as his fielding and batting abilities considerably weakened. As expected, the Yankees announced on August 2, 2005 that they would not pick up the $15 million option on Williams' contract for the 2006 season, opting to pay a $3.5 million buyout instead. In December Williams was offered arbitration by team general manager Brian Cashman to allow an additional month for negotiation. On December 22, the Yankees re-signed Williams to a 1 year, $1.5 million contract.
Bernie Williams was one of the Puerto Rican players to agree to play for Puerto Rico in the 2006 MLB World Baseball Classic, joining Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Mike Lowell, Javier Vazquez and Jose Vidro amongst others representing the US Territory Island Nation in a team managed by Saint Louis Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo.
Recently, he passed Babe Ruth for third-most career doubles as a Yankee.
Career highlights
- 5 Time All-Star (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
- 1996 ALCS MVP
- 4 Time Gold Glove Winner (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
- 1998 AL Batting Champion (.339 AVG)
- 4 Time World Series Champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000)
Music Career
In addition to his accolades on the baseball field, Williams is also a critically-acclaimed musician. Growing up, Bernie wanted to be a professional musician. A classically trained guitarist, playing and composing music is Bernie’s first true passion with influences that include jazz, classical, pop, Brazilian, and Latin sounds.
His major label debut, The Journey Within, was released in 2003. In addition to playing lead and rhythm guitar, Williams composed seven songs for the album. Tracks like “La Salsa En Mi” and “Desvelado” mix Bernie’s love of jazz with the sophisticated Latin rhythms of his Puerto Rican heritage.
-->The first single was a remix of his “Just Because”, featuring David Benoit. Other highlights include Williams’ heartfelt tribute to his father, “Para Don Berna”, a reworking of the Baden Powell song, “Samba Novo”, and “La Salsa En Mi”, featuring background vocals from 2003 Grammy Winner Ruben Blades and salsa legend Gilberto Santa Rosa. Also joining Williams is an all-star ensemble of musicians including multiple Grammy-winning banjo player Bela Fleck, keyboardist David Sancious, percussionist Luis Conte, bassist Leland Sklar, guitarist Tim Pierce, and drummers Kenny Aronoff and Shawn Pelton, among others.
Trivia
- From 1997 to 2000 Williams won the Gold Glove Award for his center field play.
- He has played in five All-Star Games.
- He released an album of instrumental classical and jazz recordings titled The Journey Within, which debuted in July 2003.
- He is the first player in MLB history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate ("switch hitter", one who is equally comfortable batting left or right) in a post season game.
- He is referenced in the third season of the TV show The West Wing. The fictional president, Josiah Bartlet, mentions 'the center fielder for the New York Yankees is an accomplished classical guitarist' to demonstrate to his opponent that popular entertainment such as athletics is not in contradiction with artistic entertainment.
- He also appeared in a Seinfeld episode alongside teammate Derek Jeter.
- In 1997 he became the Yankees representative to the Children's Health Fund, which provides healthcare for impoverished children.
- Played guitar as a guest musician on the Flecktones album Little Worlds.
- His jersey number "51" is a hint of his political view that his native Puerto Rico should become the 51st State of the United States of America.
- As of December 7th, 2005, when the Chicago White Sox released veteran first baseman Frank Thomas, Bernie Williams currently has a longer tenure with his present team than any other active American League player, with his career with the New York Yankees currently in its 16th year (1991-2006). (Two National League players, Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros and John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves, have longer tenures with their teams.)
- Owns "Corner Locker" in the Yankee Stadium clubhouse that is given to the longest tenure player. According to Ron Guidry (former owner of the Locker), "He doesn't keep it clean."
Quotes by Bernie Williams
- "Last year I was picked for People Magazine and he was the one spreading the rumor that I was walking with a mirror in my back pocket." ~ Bernie Williams on comments to him by teammate, Derek Jeter
- "Standing On The Bridge" is kind of a funny song. I was riding my bike on a bridge in New York and I got stranded. All I could hear was people honking their horns and yelling at me. Of course I had a full face helmet so nobody knew who I was. That melody was the only thing that I could think of. Like the second hand of the clock going tick, tick, tick, tick and me trying to get out of the bridge, like pushing my motorcycle. It was kind of a funny experience.~ ''Bernie Williams commenting on a song he wrote
Quotes about Bernie Williams
- “ When I heard this CD, I was blown away by his talent. “Go Bernie, it’s a home run!”. ~ ''Paul McCartney
See also
- Players from Puerto Rico in MLB
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Active MLB players who have played entire career for only one team
External links
- Williams' statistics on the [Baseball Almanac] site
- Williams' bio on the [Baseball Library] site
- Williams' statistics on the [Baseball Reference] site
- Official [Bernie Williams' website]
- Fansite [Bernie Williams Fan Tribute Page]
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