It has been over six months since MLB legend Gerald Williams left this world. The former Yankees outfielder died at only 55. Not many people know this, but Williams was the person who helped Derek Jeter a lot in his bad days.

Williams might not be the best player in ballparks, but he was a wonderful human being. He was the first person from the Yankees clubhouse who became friends with Derek Jeter. And to date, Jeter misses his best friend. 

Had Williams alive in this world, he would have celebrated his 56th birthday on August 10. Nonetheless, Jeter never forgot to wish his best friend on his birthday. Not only Jeter, but former Yankees Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada also joined Derek Jeter and remembered Gerald Williams on his birthday.

When Gerald Williams stood for Derek Jeter

Taking to Instagram, Jeter shared an emotional post on his friend’s birthday. He shared a photo of Williams and captioned it, “I miss you my brother. Gone way too soon. Happy Birthday.” Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada also commented on the post and paid their respect to the late MLB legend.

Notably, when Derek Jeter joined the New York Yankees, he was still a teenager. During his initial days in the Yankees clubhouse, Jeter suffered a lot from the senior players. And when no one stood for Jeter, Williams stood up for the future Yankees captain.

Per Jeter’s book, The Life You Imagine, when a senior player instructed other Yankees teammates not to help Jeter pick up the practice balls, Williams took a stand for the teenager Jeter. He immediately intervened in the matter and saved Jeter from being bullied. Per si.com, Jeter also admitted that Gerald always looked out for him.

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“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,” Jeter wrote in his book.

“He is a person who thrives on life. He always finds positives and has told me that he doesn’t think he could ever overuse the word positive.”

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Notably, losing a friend like Gerald Williams would have been difficult for Derek Jeter. May Williams rest in peace.