“The Warrior” is finally receiving the ultimate honor from his former team.
On Tuesday, February 22, the New York Yankees announced that they will retire the legendary Paul O’Neill’s number, 21, during a ceremony this summer. The ceremony will occur on August 21, prior to the game at Yankee Stadium against the Toronto Blue Jays.
O’Neill, who last played in Major League Baseball with the Yankees in 2001, spent his last nine seasons with the club, winning four World Series with them in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. During the 2001 World Series, which saw the Yankees take on the Arizona Diamondbacks, the entire stadium chanted his name during the ninth inning of Game 5, in which the Yankees were down 2-0. A teary-eyed O’Neill tipped his cap to the fans, amassing roars. They would ultimately come back to win that game 3-2, but would drop the series in seven games.
And now, 21 years after his last game played, O’Neill will become the Yankees’ 21st player to have his number (21) retired, on August 21. Eight years ago in 2014, ‘The Warrior’, as he was commonly referred to as for his fiery personality and desire to win, was honored by the Yankees with a plaque in their Monument Park, but now, his number will finally be retired, ensuring that no other player can wear it for the team again.
The Ultimate Warrior. pic.twitter.com/wldIkgyjSq
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) February 22, 2022
“Wow,” O’Neill wrote on Twitter after the announcement. “My heartfelt thanks to the Steinbrenner family, the entire Yankees organization, YES Network, my teammates & coaches over the years, & most importantly the fans of New York. This is the greatest honor of my life. I’m forever grateful for all you have done for me & my family!”
The only other time number 21 was issued for the Yankees after O’Neill’s retirement was a brief stint in 2008, when pitcher LaTroy Hawkins wore it, but was booed by the fans for taking O’Neill’s number — he switched to 22 soon after. O’Neill, who retired as a Yankee with a .303 average, 185 home runs, and 858 RBI, has certainly gone down as a hero in both New York and baseball lore.
Following his retirement, O’Neill became an analyst and color commentator for the YES Network, the Yankees’ broadcasting service, of which he remains a member to this day. And now, he receives the honor of sitting back and waiting until time gets closer and closer to the big day, where he will receive the highest honor a player can receive from their team in sports.
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