The New York Yankees are in mourning after the death of their former player and house servant, Gerald Williams, who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 55 on February 8. However, perhaps the most affected of the entire Yankee family is the Hall of Fame and legendary Captain, Derek Jeter, who considered him his best friend since the minor leagues.
Jeter announced the sad news… saying that Williams passed away after a battle with cancer.
“To my teammate & one of my best friends in the world, rest in peace my brother,” Jeter said in a statement. “My thoughts & prayers are with his wife, Liliana, and his entire family.”
Williams was drafted by the Yankees in 1987 and played his first game for the Pinstripes’ major league team in 1992, the same year the team drafted Jeter.
Williams went on to play 14 years in the Major Leagues, seven of which were spent with Jeter and the Yankees, before finally leaving the game after the 2005 season.
Williams hit .255 for his career and hit 85 home runs. One of his most famous moments came in the 1996 season when he made a big catch to help keep Dwight Gooden’s no-hitter intact.
During their years in the minor leagues, Gerald Williams and Derek Jeter forged a great friendship, with Williams defending the future Hall of Famer from bullies in the lower divisions of baseball, being besties from then until the last day of Williams’ life.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
