Billy Williams (baseball player)

Billy Leo Williams (born June 15, 1938) is an American former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. A highly competitive player on talented Chicago Cubs teams that never reached the post-season, he finally realized his dream of playing in the World Series late in his career.

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, and played 1,117 consecutive games between 1962-1971, at the time a National League record.

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 World Series 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. He is currently a coach with the Cubs.

Highlights

National League Rookie of the Year (1961)
6-time All-Star (1962, 1964-65, 1968, 1972-73)
Played 1,117 consecutive games (1962-1971)
Led league in batting average (.333, 1972)
Led league in slugging average (.606, 1972)
Led league in runs (137, 1970)
Led league in hits (205, 1970)
3-time led league in total bases (1968, 1970, 1972)
3-time Top 10 MVP (8, 1968; 2, 1970, 1972)
The Sporting News Player of the Year (1972)
Hall of Fame member (1987)

External links

Billy Williams at: