The moment was an emotional one that Bernie Williams will never forget. It is one that showed his decision to return to the Yankees this year was one of the best decisions of his life.
Williams signed a seven-year, $87.5 million deal with the Yankees this past offseason after thinking seriously about joining the Red Sox, but this is home and the Yankees are his family. That point was driven home in the 4-1 clinching victory over the Braves last night at the Stadium.
After Chad Curtis caught the last out the Yankees rushed in to celebrate. They met on the beautiful green grass of the infield for the usual leaps and hugs, but this celebration was different.
Paul O’Neill’s father had died overnight and O’Neill, the emotion of the moment overwhelming him, collapsed in a heap of tears. Scott Brosius and Luis Sojo, who also lost their fathers recently, were soon in tears. All the Yankees were celebrating and remembering their own fathers.
“I started to think about my own dad,” said Ricky Ledee “and I started crying, too. His father passed away when Ledee was 12, killed in a car crash.
Williams, a sensitive man, took in the entire scene.
“It was tough,” Williams said. “I looked around and all the guys were crying. But we were leaning on each other, too. That’s what a family does. This team is a family and that’s what makes this win so much more special.
“This team has gone through so much, but we care about each other,” Williams said. “It is the way it is supposed to be, the way a team should feel about one another. It was great to see. We have overcome so many things. It started with Joe [Torre], to all the guys fathers passing away, it was a very emotional moment. O’Neill broke down, then Luis Sojo, Scottie Brosius, I feel for this team.”
Williams batted .231 in the Series, collecting three singles in 13 at-bats. He is part of back-to-back champions, back-to-back sweeps.
“I don’t think it’s a small feat,” Williams said of the sweep. “They had a great pitching staff. They were arguable, the best pitching staff of the decade. Those guys have won so many Cy Young awards. But it was so big that we were able to capitalize on the few mistakes that they made. It was just tremendous for us.”
Tremendous for Williams, who capped a brilliant year when he batted .342 with 25 homers and 115 RBIs. All in pinstripes, just where he belonged.