New York Yankees Legend Gerald Williams Once Defended Derek Jeter When He Was Being Bullied in Minor Leagues

MLB Legend Gerald Williams breathed his last on February 8, when he lost his battle to cancer. The former MLB outfielder died at 55. His former teammate and close friend Derek Jeter announced the demise of Williams via the Twitter account of The Players’ Tribune.

Many people might not know, but Jeter and Williams were best friends. And until Williams’ death, both of them shared a good relationship. In his 14 year long MLB career, Williams had played five seasons with Derek Jeter. But later, in the 1996 season, Williams moved to the Milwaukee Brewers from the Yankees.

Derek Jeter mourns the death of Gerald Williams

The friendship between Jeter and Williams developed in 1993 when a teenage Jeter was still new to the world of baseball. In the statement released on Twitter, the Yankees legend offered his condolences to Williams’ family.

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“Gerald Williams passed away this morning after a battle with cancer. To my teammate and one of my best friends in the world, rest in peace, my brother. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Liliana, and their whole family,” said Derek Jeter.

When Williams stood up for Jeter

The Yankees legend in his book, ‘The Life You Imagine’, has mentioned the incident when Williams stood up for him during his early days in baseball. According to his book, when a senior infielder instructed other teammates not to help Jeter pick up the practice balls, it was Williams who intervened in the matter. Since that moment, Williams and Jeter were friends.

“I felt like I had been the last kid on the playground waiting to be picked for a game, and finally someone had selected me. From that first meal, I knew that Gerald was someone whom I would befriend,” wrote Jeter in his book.

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Derek Jeter is currently the CEO of MLB team Miami Marlins, a position he has held since 2017. Apart from this, he also created ‘The Players’ Tribune’, a platform that provides athletes the opportunity to connect directly with their fans, in their own words.