The Game Bernie Williams "Arrived" as the Next Great Yankees Center Fielder

The 1995 New York Yankees made their move in September to become the American League's first ever wild card.

Mike Lupica, who has been accused at times of not being particularly fond of the Yankees, credited Bernie Williams as the reason why the Yankees had become a formidable contender. who has been accused at times of not being particularly fond of the Yankees, credited Bernie Williams as the reason why the Yankees had become a formidable contender.

Jack McDowell was fooling almost everyone into thinking that he was a money pitcher. Paul O'Neill was a solid outfielder who would prove that he was one of the greatest clutch players in history, but Bernie Williams excelled the most when it seemed that the Yankees' season were finished.

The Yankees went on a 13-3 streak to take over the wild card lead. Williams led the offense, seemingly getting a big hit in every game. When asked to explain his streak, he responded in a quiet but confident voice.

"I can't. All of a sudden, it's just happening for me. I'm just hitting the ball hard."

Bernie was playing hard; taking nothing for granted. In a game against the Cleveland Indians, he was on first base when Ruben Sierra hit a ground ball to second baseman Carlos Baerga.

Before the series, manager Buck Showalter had told the players that Baerga preferred to tag the runner running to second on a ground ball if there were less than two outs instead of flipping to the shortstop to start a double play.

Williams was ready for Baerga's tag. Bernie flattened the Tribe's second baseman, preventing him from completing the double play. Baerga made a futile attempt to double up Sierra, but he made a poor throw to first that allowed Sierra to take second.

Buck Showalter was impressed.

"I don't think I've ever been prouder of a player. You can't make a guy do what Bernie did. Bernie just smoked him, Showalter

"There's a fire in him these days that I've never seen before, and it's just been very exciting to see as a manager. What we've been doing lately could not have happened without him."

Neither Williams nor Showalter could explain the sudden emergence of the Yankees' center fielder.

"The joke around here is that if I see any of my coaches bothering Bernie, they're gone," Showalter says, " I just leave him alone."

Williams batted .307/.392/.487 with 18 home runs and 82 RBIs as the Yankees won the wild card. In the playoffs against the Seattle Mariners, Williams batted .429/.571/.810 with two home runs and 5 RBIs in the five games.

Bernie Williams went on to have an outstanding career. The 1995 playoff loss to the Mariners made Bernie and the team stronger.

Earle Combs, who played center field for the Lou Gehrg-Babe Ruth era Yankees, played on three world champions.

Joe DiMaggio, who played center field for the Joe DiMaggio era Yankees, played on nine world champions.

Mickey Mantle, who played center field for the Mickey Mantle-Whitey Ford-Yogi Berra-Roger Maris era Yankees, played on seven world champions.

Bernie Williams played on four world champions. He finds himself in pretty good company.

Reference:

Lupica, Mike. "A new star in Ruth's house. Sporting News. Sept. 25, 1995.