FREEHOLD – The chant burst from fans.
“Bernie, Bernie,” they cheered.
Attracting their adoration was Bernie Williams of New York Yankees fame.
The World Series champion and All-Star headlined a Meet and Greet with Jazz Chisholm Jr., the Bronx Bombers’ starting second baseman, at the grand opening of the DICK’s House of Sport store at the Freehold Raceway Mall. Williams entertained fans on a Saturday. Chisholm Jr. appeared on a Sunday.
They signed free autographs and posed for pictures in front of an estimated 400 fans. Williams and Chisholm Jr. were protected by armed Freehold Township police officers, armed private security personnel and store employees.
Williams, a four-time World Series champion and a five-time American League All-Star, made his biggest name playing at one of the world’s most famous venues – Yankee Stadium. And he will play at another world famous venue – Carnegie Hall in New York City – as a guitarist with Jonathan Tetelman, an American opera singer and tenor, on Jan. 13 at 8 p.m. in an All-Star encore.
Williams plays and composes music with influences that include jazz, classical, pop, Brazilian and Latin sounds. He signed with Paul McCartney’s publishing company, MPL Communication.
“I’m real excited about Carnegie Hall,” Williams, 57, said. “I enjoy playing baseball and music. I enjoyed playing baseball with good players. We felt indestructible. Music is a lot less physical exertion. There is all kinds of competition in music. I try to get people’s attention.
“Every World Series championship was special. 2000 was real special as it was against the Mets … two local teams duking it out! 2001 was special as we were trying to bring back normalcy to the city after 9-11.”
Williams, a center fielder, was a big leaguer from 1991-2006, all with the Yankees. He batted .297, hit 287 home runs, drove in 1,257 runs, scored 1,366 runs, laced 449 doubles and fielded .990. Named the 1996 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, he won the league’s batting title in 1998, earned one Silver Slugger Award and four Gold Glove awards.
Williams’ No. 51 jersey was retired and a plaque was dedicated to him in Monument Park beyond the outfield fence at Yankee Stadium in May of 2015. He was a switch hitter.
“I am very fortunate and very blessed to have had the opportunity to play baseball at the highest level in front of the best fans,” he said. “Dreams are made of this. An added bonus was playing with great teammates. When I look back on my career, I say, ‘Wow! How did that happen?’ You have to be in the right place at the right time and have the right stuff. You have to take advantage of the opportunity. You don’t want to waste it.”
Williams said he enjoyed playing for the fiery George Steinbrenner, then the team’s principal owner and managing partner.
“George was tough,” he said, “but he was as fair as an owner can get. It’s the sum of the parts that made those teams good.”
Steinbrenner craved the back pages of the city’s tabloids, the New York Daily News and the New York Post. One of his favorite phrases was, “Fannies in the seats.”
“Pressure and nervousness are inevitable when you play in New York City,” Williams said. “All of it can be managed with preparation and practice. Once you know who you are, trusting that ability is part of the mental game that you have to deal with. With practice, your nervousness turns into excitement. If you are not prepared, you become frozen. You don’t want that.”
There’s a strong possibility Williams will appear in the Yankees’ training camp in Tampa next season.
“I’ve been there before,” he said. “It’s fun. You get to hang out with young players. They are appreciative. We are the new generation of relics – the ‘90s guys. Most likely I will be there as a guest instructor. When I was a Yankee, Yogi (Berra), Willie (Randolph) and (Ron) Guidry were our guest instructors. I will shoot the breeze with the guys. They like to pick my brain about playing in New York and keeping alive our tradition of excellence.”
Williams signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent at the age of 16 out of his native Puerto Rico where he starred in international track and field meets at 15.
“I didn’t think about playing major league baseball until my third year in the minor leagues,” he said. “I didn’t know much about life itself – or the Yankees. I ate Reggie Bars. There are a lot more nuances to it. You are one of many. You compete to see who comes out ahead. You have to raise eyebrows.
“I outworked the competition. You have to be teachable. You have to work your rear end off. You have to stay one hour after practice and work hard. What is not measured in numbers is real important.”
Williams offered advice for athletes and parents.
“Don’t be involved in just one sport,” he said. “Baseball did not keep me in shape as I only played in the outfield and hit four times. I did other sports such as track. Do stuff that stimulates you mentally. Folks, try not to live vicariously through the kids.”
The Yankees’ previous World Series championship was back in 2009. They lost to the Toronto Blue Jays this season in the American League Division Series.
“It always hurts when you don’t win the World Series,” Chisholm Jr. said. “Every team that lost a series is hurt. To win the championship is all you want to do. I feel we did a good job in the last couple of years of making the playoffs. I feel we have a good roster every year. The team’s just gotta finish the job. We have the guys to do it.”
In 2025, Chisholm Jr. became the third Yankee in history to join the 30-30 Club, slugging 31 homers and stealing 31 bases. The first Bahamian to put up 30-30 stats, he batted .242, drove in 80 runs, scored 75 runs and posted an .813 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).
He was obtained from the Florida Marlins in 2024. He hit grand slams in two straight games for the Marlins in 2023. He has scored 324 career runs, including eight in postseason play.
“When I learned I was traded to the Yankees, I was ecstatic,” Chisholm Jr. said. “Most of my favorite players growing up were Yankees. They were the only team I saw on TV when I was growing up.”
Chisholm Jr.’s grandmother, Patricia Coakley, played shortstop on the Bahamian National women’s softball team.
“I began playing baseball when I was either two or three years old,” he said. “I didn’t know the difference between baseball and softball when I was two. I used a stick in her backyard to hit balls.”
Soon after arriving with the Yankees, the flamboyant Chisholm Jr. became a hit with fans. He wears colorful jewelry and accessories on the field, including an alien necklace and cleats inspired by the anime series, “One Piece.” And he smiles frequently.
How does he describe his personality?
“Childish,” he said. “I am just a kid having fun and living the dream. I was successful in 2025 because of hard work. The organization let me be me. My teammates, especially Aaron Judge, helped me a lot. They understood me and got to know me. I feel like I belong here. I feel it (becoming a Yankee) was supposed to happen all along. I almost signed with the Yankees when I was younger.”
Chisholm Jr. said he enjoys playing for the Yankees and manager Aaron Boone.
“Do I feel any pressure?” he asked, repeating a journalist’s question. “No. Not at all. I always go back to where I came from. How can you get nervous here? I started out hitting rocks in backyards. I dreamed of hitting home runs in the playoffs and still dream about it today.
“Aaron Boone is great. He’s a really great coach. We even have a friendly relationship where we can talk about everything. He played major league baseball and he feels like he has been in our moments. You don’t question a guy who has been in those spots many times.”
Chisholm played for the Marlins from 2020-2024 before donning the pinstripes. He hails from Nassau. He enjoys recording rap and R&B music. A two-time All-Star, he has hit 108 career home runs and driven in 308 runs. He has stolen 130 bases. The .248 major league career hitter signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as an international free agent in 2015 and made his major league debut with the Marlins.
