Former Yankees, Mets, Devil Rays, Braves, Brewers and Marlins outfielder Gerald Williams passed away today at 55 years of age, former teammate and close friend Derek Jeter announced (via the Players’ Tribune).
“Gerald Williams passed away this morning after a battle with cancer,” Jeter said in his statement announcing the saddening news. “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.”
Williams, originally a 14th-round pick by the Yankees back in 1987, debuted as a 25-year-old during the 1992 season — the first step in what would become a 14-year career at the MLB level. That journey took him to six different organizations and spanned 1168 games. Williams, nicknamed “Ice,” posted a career .255/.301/.410 batting line with 85 home runs, 183 doubles, 18 triples, 106 stolen bases, 474 runs scored and another 365 runs driven in. Yankee fans may fondly remember an impressive first-inning grab by Williams back in May or 1996, which seemed innocuous at the time but wound up proving a pivotal play in what would eventually become a Doc Gooden no-hitter (YouTube link).
Williams and Jeter were teammates for the Yankees’ postseason appearance in 1995, and he returned to the playoffs with Atlanta in both 1998 and 1999. He played a huge role in the Braves’ 3-1 National League Division Series win over the Astros in ’99, going 7-for-18 (.389) with a double, a pair of runs scored, three RBIs and a stolen base in that four-game set. A member of both the 1996 Yankees and 2003 Marlins, Williams received a pair of World Series rings (even though the Yankees traded him to the Brewers in August of ’96).
Williams’ two best seasons came with the ’98 Braves, when he hit .305/352/.504 with 10 homers in a part-time role, and in 2000 with Tampa Bay, when he saw regular action in the outfield. Williams logged a career-high 682 plate appearances in his first of two seasons with the then-Devil Rays, adding in a career-best 21 home runs, 30 doubles, a pair of triples and 12 steals.
Most pro ball players can only dream of a 14-year run at the game’s top level — and that’s particularly true among players selected well down the draft board, as was the case with Williams. We at MLBTR offer our condolences to Williams’ family, his friends, his former teammates and the thousands of fans who took joy in rooting him on over the course of his decade-plus in the Majors.
Truly sad! Another one gone too soon!
Thoughts and prayers.
No! RIP Gerald Williams
Wow.
RIP
RIP Gerald was hoping you played on those great Yankees teams. Yankees traded you away. Gerald, Velarde, and Mattingly players I had hoped played during those great winning teams. The Yankees had a revolving door in LF Ledee, Curtis, Spencer,etc. It should of been Gerald to go along with Bernie and ONeil in the Yankees OF.
I liked his nickname “Ice”. I felt he was good enough to play Left Field regularly. The Yankees always need want an All-star instead of a decent contact guy in the outfield.
RIP you went to soon.
Solid player who played on some very good teams & in a quite a few big games. Tell ya, though. 55 sure doesn’t seem that old to me anymore.
Of course, prayers/positive thoughts for Gerald Williams family & friends.
Way too young for sure.
Fun to watch!! Surprised more people haven’t commented on what a good defensive outfielder he was. I’ve had cancer twice, believe me it’s tough! 55 was way too young to lose him. It’s been a tough couple of years on former players.
He was. Played with a tangible joi de vivre. & you’re right, Mick: Williams sure could go get it out there.
What? Devil wouldn’t have ya? 😉
Stay tough my friend.
I got to meet him before a game at Yankee Stadium in the 95 season. Very down to earth and humble guy. Sad news.
Terrible news. I watched him a ton on TBS when he played for the Braves. He and Javy Lopez were my favorites.
So very sad.
He was one of my favorites on the Yankees. He was easy to root for. Godspeed
Thoughts and prayers for the family and friends. So young 🙁
That’s truly sad. He apparently was a great guy. A few years back, one of the Braves’ announcers recounted some encounter with Williams talking about how much he loved the game. He said playing baseball made him “filled with delightfulness.” Love that phrase. RIP.
That’s too bad and gone too soon. 14 years in the bigs is always impressive
RIP, done too soon
Gone*
One thing we’ve learned recently is that plenty of current & former players come here. Let’s not embarrass ourselves here, fellas.
Agreed and thank you. I’ve been tempted to respond to trollers and have at times before, but I’ve found that the mute button is a wonderful thing and a far more effective response.
I have certainly posted some things we all would have been better off not reading. & I have been here long enough to realize that we are just going to clash with each other some times.
But, usually, these articles bring out our better side. Guess that’s what I’m hoping to see on this one too.
I agree. Even though he was notorious for charging the greatest pitcher in our lifetime its still sad. My condolences to his family.
Pedro was a headhunter and had it coming.
Good bless you Gerald
Such a sad thing this disease is. It’s incredibly indiscriminate, pervades the lives of every single individual in the sport (and every aspect of life), in one way or another, and robs us of great people at far too young an age. It makes frail the indestructible, inspires fear in the bold, and crushes families. Oh, how I hate this disease…
– Prayers to Ice’s family.
A very good player and you could tell even through a TV screen that he loved playing the game. He wasn’t great at any one thing but could contribute in so many different ways, and I love players like that. R.I.P.
My mom was an OG Devil Rays fan out of geographic loyalty & Ice was her favorite Devil Ray by far. Really solid player who even made those teams partially watchable..
RIP Gerald
Will always remember the game between the Sox/Devil Rays when Pedro Martinez hit Gerald Williams leading off the game. The Devil Rays would see 8 players/coaches ejected (including Williams) while Pedro threw a one-hitter (Carl Everett would have four extra-base hits in the game including 2 HR’s) and that was the game that people started calling the Trop “Fenway South”.
R.I.P. Gerald. 55 is definitely too soon to go…
RIP Gerald Williams and best wishes to his family. I’ve had the chance to meet him a few times in NYC and he was a good dude. I know Jeter considered him family and he’ll be missed.
I had a chance to meet him on Long Island at an autograph signing at DJ’s Dugout. Extremely friendly person and made sure he spend time talking to all of the kids. He left an impression and if he left that kind of impact over a few minutes, I wonder what kind of impact he had on the people around him. God bless.
I’ll never forget being there to watch him hit a HR on pitch 1 of the 2000 season off Brad Radke.
The catch linked in the article is impressive. A life cut short, but well lived.
Wow, they were just talking about those Yankees Red Sox issues recently on MLB Network, and were showing Williams’ takedown of Pedro.
Sad loss.
Remember watching him and Bernie play in AA in the Eastern League in the early 90’s. Happy for his moments of success during his career.
Heritage Park!
Too effing young.
My wife and I have devoted a lot of our time to Relay for Life since 2004. We are working on helping a new one get started this year. Cancer is a terrible disease and effects almost all of us in a bad way. We have to keep going in the fight, it takes way too many wonderful people. Peace be with the Williams family, Gerald made a positive difference in the world and should never be forgotten.
Definitely one of the good guys. Gone way too son. RIP, Ice.