Billy Williams

From SoSH

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Awards 3 Achievements 4 Trivia 5 Transactions 6 External Links

Overall Career

Soft-spoken Billy Leo Williams (born June 15, 1938, in Whistler, AL), 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.

Awards

• Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers in 1987 (85.71%)

• 1961 National League Rookie of the Year
• 1961 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
• 1972 Major League Player of the Year
• 6-time National League All-Star (1962, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1972 & 1973)

Achievements

• NL Batting Average Leader (1972)
• NL Slugging Percentage Leader (1972)
• NL OPS Leader (1972)
• NL Runs Scored Leader (1970)
• NL Hits Leader (1970)
• 3-time NL Total Bases Leader (1968, 1970 & 1972)
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 14 (1961-1973 & 1975)
• 30-Home Run Seasons: 5 (1964, 1965, 1968, 1970 & 1972)
• 40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1970)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 3 (1965, 1970 & 1972)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 5 (1964-1966, 1969 & 1970)
• 200 Hits Seasons: 3 (1964, 1965 & 1970)

Trivia

• Nickname: Sweet Swingin' Billy from Whistler
• While playing for San Antonio in the Texas League, Billy Williams was tutored by Hall of Fame hitting legend and Cubs coach Rogers Hornsby.

Transactions

• Before 1956 Season: Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent.
• October 23, 1974: Traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Oakland Athletics for Darold Knowles, Bob Locker, and Manny Trillo.
• November 9, 1976: Released by the Oakland Athletics.

External Links

• Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Billy Williams: Hall of Fame Page
• 1987 Hall of Fame Class