Billy Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billy Williams
Williams with the Chicago Cubs in 1964
Left fielder
Born: (1938-06-15) June 15, 1938 (age 86) Whistler, Alabama, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Right
debut
August 6, 1959, for the Chicago Cubs
Last appearance
October 2, 1976, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
Batting average	.290
Hits	2,711
Home runs	426
Runs batted in	1,475
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1959–1974) Oakland Athletics (1975–1976)
Career highlights and awards
6× All-Star (1962², 1964, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1973) NL Rookie of the Year (1961) NL batting champion (1972) Chicago Cubs No. 26 retired Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1987
Vote	85.7% (sixth ballot)

Billy Leo Williams (born June 15, 1938) is a famous American former baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1959 to 1976. Most of his career was spent with the Chicago Cubs. Billy Williams was known for his amazing hitting skills. He was chosen as an All-Star six times.

In 1961, Williams was named the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year. He hit 25 home runs and had 86 runs batted in (RBI) that year. He was a very consistent player. For many years, he hit at least 20 home runs and 80 RBI every season.

Billy Williams helped make the Cubs a better team in the late 1960s. He played alongside other Cubs legends like Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. In 1972, he won the NL batting title with a .333 average. He also played in 1,117 consecutive games. This was an NL record for many years.

After playing for the Cubs, Williams joined the Oakland Athletics in 1975. He finally got to play in the postseason with them. When he retired, he had 426 career home runs. This was one of the highest totals for a left-handed hitter. He was later inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. The Cubs also retired his jersey number, 26.

Billy Williams' Early Life

Billy Williams was born in Whistler, Alabama. His father, Frank, was a stevedore (someone who loads and unloads ships). His dad also played first base for a local semi-pro team. Billy grew up in a neighborhood that was segregated. He attended Whistler High School.

Billy started his professional baseball career in 1956. He played for minor league teams like the Ponca City Cubs. In 1959, he was promoted to a higher minor league team, the San Antonio Missions. He felt discouraged at one point and went home. But a Cubs scout named Buck O'Neil convinced him to return. Later that year, he played his first 18 games for the Chicago Cubs. In 1960, he hit 26 home runs in the minor leagues. He also played in 12 more major league games.

Billy Williams' Major League Career

Playing for the Chicago Cubs

Billy Williams joined the Chicago Cubs in the early 1960s. The team had other great players like Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. A famous baseball legend, Rogers Hornsby, even predicted that Williams would win a batting title someday.

Williams played his first game for the Cubs on August 6, 1959. He batted third in the lineup, right before Ernie Banks. In his first turn at bat, he got an RBI. Three days later, he got his first two hits. He returned to the Cubs in late 1960 and hit his first home run on October 1.

In 1961, Williams played in 146 games. He was named the NL Rookie of the Year. He hit 25 home runs and had 86 RBI. He was also selected as an NL All-Star in 1962, 1964, and 1965. On May 1, 1964, he hit a grand slam. This helped the Cubs score 10 runs in one inning. He even set a team record with five RBI in that inning.

Williams in 1969

Billy Williams was known for his smooth and powerful batting swing. This earned him the nickname "Sweet-Swinging Billy Williams." Sometimes people just called him "Sweet Billy." From 1961 to 1973, he hit at least 20 home runs every season. He also had 84 or more RBI each year.

On July 17, 1966, Williams hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game. On May 21, 1968, he set a major league record. He played his 695th consecutive game in the outfield. On September 10, Williams hit three home runs in one game. One of them was off the famous pitcher Nolan Ryan.

Williams in 1973

In 1970, Williams had an amazing season. He batted .322 with 42 home runs and 129 RBI. He finished second in the voting for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. He also set an NL record by playing in 1,117 consecutive games. This streak lasted from 1963 to 1970. Some writers even called him "Iron Man" because of this streak.

On May 12, 1971, he became the fifth player to get 1,000 RBI for the Cubs. Three days later, he hit his 300th career home run. In 1972, he won the NL batting title with a .333 average. He also had 37 home runs and 122 RBI. For the second time, he was the MVP runner-up. On August 15, 1974, Williams got his 2,500th hit as a Cub.

Playing for the Oakland Athletics

After the 1974 season, Williams was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He became a designated hitter in the American League. In 1975, he hit 23 home runs and had 81 RBI. On June 12, he hit his 400th career home run.

He helped the Athletics win their division title. This was the first time Williams played in the postseason. However, his team lost in the AL Championship Series. In 1976, Williams played his last major league game on October 2. He retired after that season.

Career Statistics

Billy Williams played in 2,488 games over 18 seasons. He had a career batting average of .290. He collected 2,711 hits, 426 home runs, and 1,475 RBI. He was a great player who was consistent and powerful at the plate.

Billy Williams' Later Years

Billy Williams's number 26 was retired by the Chicago Cubs in 1987.

Billy Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. This is a huge honor for baseball players. Two weeks later, his uniform number 26 was retired by the Cubs at Wrigley Field. This means no other Cubs player will wear that number again. He was only the second Cubs player to have his number retired. The first was his teammate, Ernie Banks.

Retired number 26 at Wrigley Field

In 1999, Williams was chosen for the Cubs All-Century Team. He was also named one of the 100 finalists for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. In 2010, the Cubs honored Billy Williams with a statue outside Wrigley Field. The statue was revealed before a game on September 7.

Billy Williams also served on the Hall of Fame's Golden Era Committee. This committee helps decide which players from earlier eras should be considered for the Hall of Fame.

See also