What is Paul O'Neill's number 21 truly worth?
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Numbers mean everything when it comes to Baseball. Baseball is a game built on numbers, because numbers determine history. Who is the greatest of all-time? Who was more effective in his respective era? Only numbers can answer those questions.
There is also a heartfelt meaning associated with numbers. A number on the back of a player's jersey symbolizes the essence of the player. For instance, Babe Ruth was forever be associated with the No. 3. He was given the No. 3 because of his spot in the batting order. Ruth batted third in the lineup.
The Yankees are retiring Joe Torre's No. 6 this season. There are also rumors about honoring Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Paul O'Neill in the near future. Most Yankee fans understand the importance each man brought to the franchise. However, some people are questioning whether Paul O'Neill should have his number retired by the Bronx Bombers.
O'Neill played in 17 Major League seasons, nine of those spent with the Yankees. He is a lifetime .288 hitter with 2105 hits. However in his nine seasons with the Yankees, O'Neill hit .303 and averaged 21 home runs, 93 runs batted in, 34 doubles and 80 runs scored per season. He ranks in the Top 25 of Yankees' history in batting average, home runs (185) doubles (304) and hits (1426).
Should O'Neill have his number retired by the Yankees? Some Yankee purists believe a number should only be retired for a lifelong Yankee, like Lou Gehrig or Joe DiMaggio. To think that statement is true is the equivalent of not thinking at all. The aforementioned Babe Ruth spent the first part of his career with the Red Sox. Reggie Jackson, Mr. October himself, only played five of his 21 Major League seasons in the Bronx. Even the great Yogi Berra, a ten-time World Series champion, played his final Major League season with the Mets in 1965 (Berra hit .222 in four games for the 1965 Mets). It shouldn't matter how long someone played for the Yankees, but how much they accomplished as a Yankee.
O'Neill, a four-time all-star and World Series champion with the Yankees, was nicknamed “The Warrior” during his time with the Bronx Bombers. Fans affectionately gave O'Neill the nickname based on his passionate play and tendency to turn a baseball bat into the equivalent of a broken sword when angered.
The Yankees would not have won four World Series championships in the late 1990's without the warrior spirit of Paul O'Neill. His drive and work ethic connect that Yankees' dynasty with the old ones. Grandfathers (such as mine) spoke of O'Neill spirit and compared it to that of Lou Gehrig and Thurman Munson. In fact my grandfather once told me something very important O'Neill when I was a little boy.
“He never had the skill of Ruth, Gehrig or Mantle,” my grandfather said. “But dang it, he has a heart as big as any Yankee legend. I'm proud he's one of ours.
O'Neill touched the fans with his inspiring play. His hustle to beat out a double during the 1997 ALCS is one moment that speaks volumes to me personally. He was playing on one leg, but made it to second ahead of the throw. To quote the title of an old western, that was “true grit.” Yankee fans responded to that passion, especially during the 2008 season. Relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins was given number 21. Hawkins was consequently booed every time he pitched. It had nothing to do with Hawkins' skills as a pitcher. It was because he took The Warrior's uniform and that was the ultimate sign of dishonor.
Hawkins and the Yankees did see the error of their and got him a different number. To this day, Hawkins is the only player to wear the number since O'Neill retirement. And (this is meant as no disrespect to Hawkins) he wasn't even close to being the ballplayer that O'Neill was.
Heck, O'Neill even appeared on Seinfeld! If memory serves right, the always wacky Cosmo Kramer promised a sick kid that O'Neill would hit two home runs for him. This was a direct parody of Babe Ruth promising little Johnny Sylvester he would hit a home run for him in a game (which Ruth did.) O'Neill (fictionally) went on to hit two home runs that game and even set aside his hardened exterior to crack a few jokes at Kramer's expense.
All Seinfeld jokes aside, O'Neill is deserving of having his number retired by the Yankees. I can assure readers that no one will ever put on number 21 again if Yankee fans have anything to say about it. His warrior spirit will stand the test of time and be remembered along other great Yankee characters.
No. 21 is worth more than any amount of money. That's why his number going to be retired. You can't put a price on spirit.
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