Billy Williams (baseball)

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Billy Williams
Outfielder
Born: June 15, 1938 (1938-06-15) (age 70)
Whistler, Alabama
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 6, 1959
for the Chicago Cubs
Final game
October 2, 1976
for the Oakland Athletics
Career statistics
Batting average     .290
Home runs     426
Hits     2,711
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Elected     1987
Vote     85.71%

Billy Leo Williams (born June 15, 1938) is a former outfielder in professional 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 post-season late in his career with the Oakland Athletics. Like his teammates Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, and Ron Santo, he never played in a World Series.

Williams was born in Whistler, Alabama. He started his career in 1959, joining a Cubs 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. Williams also set a National League record for consecutive games played with 1,117 between 1962-1971 (eclipsed by Steve Garvey 1975-1983 with 1,207). Cleo James replaced him in the lineup at the end of his streak. From 1961 to 1973, Williams annually hit at least twenty home runs and was responsible for eighty-four or more RBIs.

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. 1972 was his last great season in the league. After the 1974 season, he was 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.

[edit] Stats
  • Height: 6'- 1"
  • Weight: 175 lb
  • Bats: Left
  • Throws: Right
  • Uniform number: 26
  • MLB:
    • Batting average: .290
    • Hits: 2,711
    • RBIs: 1,475
    • Home runs: 426
    • Doubles: 434
  • Played 1,117 consecutive games (1962-1971)
  • League Leader:
    • 1972-Batting average (.333)
    • 1972-Slugging average (.606)
    • 1970-Runs (137)
    • 1970-Hits (205)
    • 3-time leader - total bases:
      • 1968: 321
      • 1970: 373
      • 1972: 348
  • 3-time leader in top-10 votes for league MVP:
    • 1968-8th
    • 1970-2nd
    • 1972-2nd
  • 5-time leader - games played (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Frank Howard		 National League Rookie of the Year
1961		 Succeeded by
Ken Hubbs
Preceded by
Willie Mays
César Cedeño		 Major League Player of the Month
May 1964
July 1972		 Succeeded by
Jim Bunning
Ken Henderson
Preceded by
Joe Torre		 National League Batting Champion
1972		 Succeeded by
Pete Rose
v • d • e
National League Rookie of the Year Award
1947: J. Robinson | 1948: Dark | 1949: Newcombe | 1950: Jethroe | 1951: Mays | 1952: Black | 1953: Gilliam | 1954: Moon | 1955: Virdon | 1956: F. Robinson | 1957: Sanford | 1958: Cepeda | 1959: McCovey | 1960: Howard | 1961: B. Williams | 1962: Hubbs | 1963: Rose | 1964: Allen | 1965: Lefebvre | 1966: Helms | 1967: Seaver | 1968: Bench | 1969: Sizemore | 1970: Morton | 1971: E. Williams | 1972: Matlack | 1973: Matthews | 1974: McBride | 1975: Montefusco | 1976: Metzger / Zachry | 1977: Dawson | 1978: Horner | 1979: Sutcliffe | 1980: Howe | 1981: Valenzuela | 1982: Sax | 1983: Strawberry | 1984: Gooden | 1985: Coleman | 1986: Worrell | 1987: Santiago | 1988: Sabo | 1989: Walton | 1990: Justice | 1991: Bagwell | 1992: Karros | 1993: Piazza | 1994: Mondesi | 1995: Nomo | 1996: Hollandsworth | 1997: Rolen | 1998: Wood | 1999: Williamson | 2000: Furcal | 2001: Pujols | 2002: Jennings | 2003: Willis | 2004: Bay | 2005: Howard | 2006: Ramírez | 2007: Braun
v • d • e
Chicago Cubs Retired Numbers
#10 Ron Santo • #14 Ernie Banks • #23 Ryne Sandberg • #26 Billy Williams
v • d • e
Chicago Cubs
Based in Chicago, Illinois
The Franchise
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Important Figures
Retired Numbers
10 • 14 • 23 • 26 • 42
Key Personnel
Owner: Tribune Company • General Manager: Jim Hendry • Manager: Lou Piniella
World Series
Championships (2)
National League
Championships (16)
1876 • 1880 • 1881 • 1882 • 1885 • 1886 • 1906 • 1907 • 1908 • 1910 • 1918 • 1929 • 1932 • 1935 • 1938 • 1945
Division
Championships
Eastern: 1984 • 1989 • Central: 2003 • 2007 • Wild Card: 1998
Minor League
Affiliates
Iowa Cubs (AAA) • Tennessee Smokies (AA) • Daytona Cubs (A) • Peoria Chiefs (A) • Boise Hawks (A) • Arizona League Cubs (Rookie) • VSL Cubs (Rookie)
Other Assets
v • d • e
Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1987
BBWAA Vote
Catfish Hunter (76.27%) • Billy Williams (85.71%)
Veterans Committee
J. G. Taylor Spink Award
Ford C. Frick Award
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