Jimy Williams has died
Williams arrived in Santa Maria, California, in 1943. He signed with the Red Sox to begin his professional career.
He played his first game in the major leagues with the Cardinals, who picked him in the Rule 5 draft in 1965.
His career as a player wasn’t very good. He only played in 14 major league games for the Cards, 13 in 1966 along with one more the next year. He went to bat 14 times and struck out six times while walking once.
After the 1967 season, he was dealt to the Reds. The Expos picked him in the expansion draft of 1968, but he did not make it back to the majors again. He had 13 at-bats and hit three singles, giving him a.231 average.
Even though he didn’t play much, he had some close encounters with greatness. He played his first game toward Sandy Koufax and got his first hit off of Juan Marichal. Both of these players went on to become Hall of Famers.
In the 1970s, he switched from playing baseball to coaching and managing. He began by working in the Angels’ farm system. In 1980, he made it to the major leagues as the Blue Jays’ third base coach.
In 1986, when Bobby Cox left the job to go to Atlanta, he received a raise to general manager. The Jays had winning records for the next three years, but they didn’t make the playoffs.
Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays from a certain era will remember the fact that the 1987 team had a 3.5-game edge over the Detroit Tigers beforehand losing their last seven games and finishing in second place, even though they won 96 games that year.
Williams’ next job was with Atlanta, which brought him back together with Cox. From 1991 to 1996, Williams coached third base in Atlanta.
The Jays had a rough start in 1989, and Williams was dismissed in May. Cito Gaston took his place.
Because of the strike in 1994, the season wasn’t over yet, but the Braves won the National League East every other year and the World Series every other year.
In 1997, he got another job as a manager when the Red Sox hired him. The first year he was in Boston, they finished fourth within the American League East.
The next year, they moved up to second place or earned a spot in the American League Wild Card game in both 1998 and 1999.
In the second of those two years, Williams was named American League Manager the following Year.
However, the White Sox didn’t make it back to the playoffs in 2000, and Williams was fired in August 2001.
The Red Sox said Monday that Jimy Williams, who was manager for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Boston Red Sox, and the Houston Astros, died in Florida after a short illness. His wife, four children, and eight grandchildren will miss him.
During his 12 years as a manager in Major League Baseball, he went 910-790 with the Blue Jays (1986–1989), the Red Sox (1997–2001), and the Astros (2002–2004).
The first time was when he was the Atlanta Braves’ third-base teacher in 1995. The second time was as the Philadelphia Phillies’ dugout coach in 2008.
Williams had some of his best seasons as a manager while he was with Boston for five years. Williams won the American League’s Manager of the Year award in 1999, a year after coming in second place.
The Red Sox stated Monday that Jimmy Williams was an important part of the team and a leader.
Williams only played in 14 major league games throughout two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals between 1966 and 1967.
He was a manager within the minor leagues for six years before becoming a base coach for the Blue Jays in 1980.
This was his first job as a coach in the major leagues. The Celtics went to the playoffs back-to-back in both 1998 and 1999 at the same time. Williams had a 5–9 record in the playoffs with the team.
Jimy Williams has died. He was the American League Manager Player of the Year for the Boston Red Sox in 1999 and won 910 games in 12 seasons, along with stints with the Blue Jays of Toronto and the Houston Astros. He was 80 years old.
Williams passed away on Friday at AdventHealth the North Pinellas Hospital in Tarpon Springs, Florida. He had been sick for a short time. Williams lived in Palm Harbor, which is close by.
Williams was named AL Manager of the Year shortly after leading his team to the playoffs for the second year in a row. He said it was easier to stay calm in the clubhouse than at home.