ChinMusic22
Apr 20th 2007, 9:15 am
One of the Cubs greats, who I do think get's overshadowed by names like Banks, Jenkins, & Santo. Billy Williams was a professional hitter...
Billy Williams
Billy Leo Williams
Sweet
Born: June 15, 1938, in Whistler, Alabama
Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers in 1987, Player 354 votes on 413 ballots 85.71%
ML Debut: 8/6/1959
Primary Position: Left Fielder
Bats: L Throws: R Primary Uniform #: 26
Played For: Chicago Cubs (1959-1974), Oakland A's (1975-1976)
Primary Team: Chicago Cubs
Post-Season: 1975 ALCS
Awards: All-Star (6): 1962, 1964-1965, 1968, 1972-1973; National League Rookie of the Year 1961
Bio
Soft-spoken Billy Williams let his bat do the talking for 18 seasons. His picture-perfect swing produced 2,711 hits, a.290 career average and 426 home runs. The six-time all-star was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1961 and the “Sporting News” Player of the Year in 1972, when he led the league with a .333 batting average while also hitting 37 home runs and driving in 122 runs. He held the National League mark for consecutive games played (1,117) until surpassed by Steve Garvey.
Williams was born in Whistler, Alabama. He started his career in 1959, joining a team that would feature stars like Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Ron Santo by the early 1960s. Williams was selected as the Rookie of the Year in 1961. Set a National League record for consecutive games played with 1,117 between 1962-1971 (eclipsed by Steve Garvey 1975-1983 with 1,207). Had 13 straight seasons of 20 or more homeurns and 84 or more RBI's, 1961 to 1973.
Williams enjoyed his finest season in 1972 at age 34, when he paced the league in batting average with a .333 mark, also posting a .606 slugging percentage while collecting 37 home runs and 122 runs batted in. He finished behind Johnny Bench in the MVP selection, just as he had done in 1970. It was his last great season in the league before being traded to the American League's Oakland Athletics for second baseman Manny Trillo and two pitchers. Williams helped lead Oakland to the 1975 American League West championship as a designated hitter, hitting 23 homers with 81 RBI. He retired a year later.
After accumulating a lifetime .290 BA with 426 homers and 1475 RBI, Billy Williams was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, and on 13 August of that same year had his number 26 retired at Wrigley Field. Following his departure from the Cubs, the number had been reassigned to other players from time to time, most notably Larry Biittner, although Williams reclaimed it during several intervals of coaching with the Cubs after his playing days had ended.
In 1999, he was named as a finalist to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
Quote
"Billy Williams is the best hitter, day-in and day-out, that I have ever seen. He's unbelieveable. He didn't hit for just one or two days, or one or two weeks. He hit all the time."
— Cubs Shortstop Don Kessinger
Did You Know... that while playing for San Antonio in the Texas League, Billy Williams was tutored by Hall of Fame hitting legend and Cubs coach Rogers Hornsby?
Billy Williams
Billy Leo Williams
Sweet
Born: June 15, 1938, in Whistler, Alabama
Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers in 1987, Player 354 votes on 413 ballots 85.71%
ML Debut: 8/6/1959
Primary Position: Left Fielder
Bats: L Throws: R Primary Uniform #: 26
Played For: Chicago Cubs (1959-1974), Oakland A's (1975-1976)
Primary Team: Chicago Cubs
Post-Season: 1975 ALCS
Awards: All-Star (6): 1962, 1964-1965, 1968, 1972-1973; National League Rookie of the Year 1961
Bio
Soft-spoken Billy Williams let his bat do the talking for 18 seasons. His picture-perfect swing produced 2,711 hits, a.290 career average and 426 home runs. The six-time all-star was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1961 and the “Sporting News” Player of the Year in 1972, when he led the league with a .333 batting average while also hitting 37 home runs and driving in 122 runs. He held the National League mark for consecutive games played (1,117) until surpassed by Steve Garvey.
Williams was born in Whistler, Alabama. He started his career in 1959, joining a team that would feature stars like Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Ron Santo by the early 1960s. Williams was selected as the Rookie of the Year in 1961. Set a National League record for consecutive games played with 1,117 between 1962-1971 (eclipsed by Steve Garvey 1975-1983 with 1,207). Had 13 straight seasons of 20 or more homeurns and 84 or more RBI's, 1961 to 1973.
Williams enjoyed his finest season in 1972 at age 34, when he paced the league in batting average with a .333 mark, also posting a .606 slugging percentage while collecting 37 home runs and 122 runs batted in. He finished behind Johnny Bench in the MVP selection, just as he had done in 1970. It was his last great season in the league before being traded to the American League's Oakland Athletics for second baseman Manny Trillo and two pitchers. Williams helped lead Oakland to the 1975 American League West championship as a designated hitter, hitting 23 homers with 81 RBI. He retired a year later.
After accumulating a lifetime .290 BA with 426 homers and 1475 RBI, Billy Williams was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, and on 13 August of that same year had his number 26 retired at Wrigley Field. Following his departure from the Cubs, the number had been reassigned to other players from time to time, most notably Larry Biittner, although Williams reclaimed it during several intervals of coaching with the Cubs after his playing days had ended.
In 1999, he was named as a finalist to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
Quote
"Billy Williams is the best hitter, day-in and day-out, that I have ever seen. He's unbelieveable. He didn't hit for just one or two days, or one or two weeks. He hit all the time."
— Cubs Shortstop Don Kessinger
Did You Know... that while playing for San Antonio in the Texas League, Billy Williams was tutored by Hall of Fame hitting legend and Cubs coach Rogers Hornsby?