Kenny Williams (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kenny Williams |
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Williams in 2016
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: April 6, 1964 Berkeley, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 2, 1986, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1991, for the Montreal Expos | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .218 | ||
| Home runs | 27 | ||
| Runs batted in | 119 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As general manager
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Kenneth Royal Williams, born on April 6, 1964, is a well-known figure in Major League Baseball. He used to play as an outfielder and later became a top executive for the Chicago White Sox.
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Kenny Williams: A Baseball Player
Kenny Williams started his baseball journey when the White Sox picked him in the 1982 amateur draft. He made his big league debut in 1986. For three years, he played mostly as a center fielder for the Chicago White Sox.
In 1989, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers later let him go in 1990, and the Toronto Blue Jays picked him up. Williams was often used as a pinch-runner because of his amazing speed. He was even the starting center fielder when Dave Stieb threw a no-hitter, which was the first in Toronto's history.
One funny moment from his playing days happened in 1990. While on base, he accidentally ran into his third base coach, John McLaren, knocking him down! Kenny was a bit shaken but still managed to score a run. This moment was shown on blooper reels for many years. After playing for the Montreal Expos in 1991, Williams decided to retire from playing baseball.
Kenny Williams: A Baseball Executive
After his playing career, Kenny Williams returned to the White Sox organization in November 1992 as a scout. He quickly moved up the ranks. In 1994, he became a special assistant to the team's chairman, Jerry Reinsdorf. He also spent some time talking about Sox games on TV.
By 1995, he was the director of minor league operations. This meant he helped manage the younger players in the team's development system. In 1997, he became the vice-president of player development, a role he held until 2000.
Becoming General Manager
In October 2000, Kenny Williams became the general manager (GM) of the White Sox. This was a big job where he made decisions about which players to sign, trade, or draft. He took over from Ron Schueler.
One of his first big moves as GM was hiring Ozzie Guillén as the team's manager in 2003. Williams became known for making bold moves to improve the team. After the 2004 season, he completely changed the White Sox's strategy. Instead of focusing on home runs, he built a team strong in pitching, defense, and speed.
He brought in many talented players through trades and free agent signings. These changes paid off in a huge way during the 2005 season. The White Sox had one of the best records in baseball. They won their division, then the American League pennant, and finally, the 2005 World Series! This was their first World Series win since 1917.
Later Years as an Executive
After the World Series win, Williams continued to make moves to keep the team strong. He acquired players like Javier Vázquez and Jim Thome. He also focused on improving the team's bench players.
In the years that followed, Williams kept working to make the team younger and improve their scouting. He made several trades, including one in 2008 that brought Nick Swisher to the team. In 2009, he acquired pitcher Jake Peavy and outfielder Alex Ríos.
On October 6, 2011, Kenny Williams hired Robin Ventura as the new manager for the Chicago White Sox. A year later, on October 26, 2012, Williams was promoted to Executive Vice President of the White Sox. His assistant, Rick Hahn, became the new general manager.
One of his notable trades as Executive Vice President happened on December 6, 2016. He traded star pitcher Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for several promising young players. Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn were both let go by the White Sox on August 22, 2023.
Kenny Williams: Personal Life
Kenny Williams lives in Naperville, Illinois. He has five children. His son, Kenny Williams, Jr., played baseball at Wichita State University and was drafted by the White Sox. Another son, Kyle Williams, played as a wide receiver in the National Football League. Kenny also has one granddaughter. In July 2014, he married television journalist Zoraida Sambolin.
