Books and articles about Stan Williams

Williams was a hulking 6'4" 225-lb righthander with blistering speed and teammate Don Drysdale's pitching personality. He loved to throw inside to batters and was widely, and appropriately, feared on the mound. But he never gained the control necessary to become a big winner.

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Williams won the second game of the 1959 tie-breaking playoff with the Braves to give the Dodgers the first playoff victory in their history. They had lost in 1946 and 1951. He went to the second All-Star Game in 1960 (striking out two in two innings), a year in which he became a regular member of the Dodger rotation and finished 14-10 with a 3.00 ERA. He struck out 205 to finish second in the league behind teammate Sandy Koufax. He was a winner for the next two years, but his streak of wildness in a relief role cost the Dodgers the '62 pennant in the playoff with the Giants and Williams was traded to the Yankees for Bill Skowron. He helped New York to another AL flag in 1963, going 9-8 with a 3.20 ERA, but he had an off-year in 1964. The Yankees sold Williams to the Indians and he was converted exclusively to relief. In December 1969 he was sent to the Twins with Luis Tiant for Graig Nettles and Dean Chance, and he contributed a 10-1, 15-save, 1.99-ERA record to the Twins' second straight divisional title in 1970. He tied for the AL lead in relief wins in what proved to be his last good season. He later became a coach with the Yankees, serving as their "eye in the sky" by positioning the outfielders from the press box. (WOR)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » October 1, 1960: The Cubs score a pair of unearned runs in the 14th to defeat the Dodgers, 10–8, in a four hour: 54 minute marathon. Future Hall of Famer Billy Williams hits his first ML homer, off the Dodgers' Stan Williams, in the 9th. Zimmer also homers for Chicago as the win goes to Glen Hobbie (16–20). » October 1, 1961: Setting another ML record, the Cubs and Dodgers use 11 pinch hitters in one 9-inning game, seven of which are used by the Cubs. Stan Williams continues his Wrigley dominance, winning 8–2, with nine strikeouts. Williams has 207 K's, 2nd to Sandy Koufax in the National League. He also has three of the Dodgers' 15 hits. » April 12, 1962: Pete Richert of the Dodgers, in his ML debut, fans the first six batters he faces against the Reds, tying Karl Spooner's record set on September 22, 1954. This includes four straight strikeouts (a passed ball allows Gordy Coleman to reach 1B) in the 3rd inning. He wins in relief, of Stan Williams, lifted in the 2nd frame after allowing four runs. Richert sparkles, giving up no hits or walks and fanning seven in three 1/3 innings. » June 1, 1962: The Dodgers sweep Philadelphia, 11–4 and 8–5, for a Los Angeles record 13 straight wins. Don Drysdale and Stan Williams pitch the Bums into a first-place tie with the Giants. It is also Drysdale's 13th straight win over the Phils, but they will beat him in his next nine straight decisions against them. He won't beat the Phillies again until August 27, 1965. » July 2, 1962: In the first game of a doubleheader, P Johnny Podres of the Dodgers ties the modern National League record with eight consecutive strikeouts in a 5–1 win. Stan Williams also wins 4–0, as the Dodgers sweep Philadelphia and move into first place. » August 12, 1962: Juan Marichal completes a 3-game Giant sweep of the Dodgers by beating Stan Williams 5–1. The Dodgers lead over the Giants is now down to two games. » November 26, 1962: The Yankees say good-bye to Moose Skowron, trading him to the Dodgers for P Stan Williams. Williams wins nine for the Yanks, but Moose is little help to the Dodgers. » August 6, 1963: Stan Williams of the Yankees one-hits the Senators, giving up a double to Don Blasingame. » March 30, 1965: The Yankees sell P Stan Williams to the Indians. » April 27, 1965: The Twins unload seven runs in the first inning and coast to a 11–1 win over the Indians. The big blow is Camilo Pascual's grand slam off Stan Williams, the 2nd grand slam of his career. Pascual makes it easy as he tosses a two-hitter. » December 12, 1969: Cleveland trades pitchers Luis Tiant and Stan Williams to the Twins for 3B Graig Nettles, OF Ted Uhlaender, and pitchers Dean Chance and Bob Miller. Tiant led the American League in ERA (1.60 and shutouts while going 21–9; next year he'll reverse that to 9–20. » August 6, 1970: At Minnesota, George Mitterwald leads off the bottom of the 14th with a home run to beat California, 2–1. Stan Williams (7-0) wins with two innings; Williams will be 10–1, all in relief. » September 7, 1970: Brant Alyea drives in all seven Twins runs on two homers in game 1, then drives in two more in the nitecap as the Twins sweep the Brewers, 7–6, and 8–3. Stan Williams (9-0) wins his 9th straight to set a Twins record. In game 2, Hal Haydel makes his first ML appearance a good one, pitching five innings of relief to win, and also hitting his first ML home run. » September 7, 1971: In the resumption of the August one protested game, the Cards and Phils resume play with the Cards leading in the 12th, 6–3, with two runners. Stranding the runners, the Phils then rally for three runs to tie, but St. Louis scores another three in the 13th to win, 9–6. Stan Williams wins his 1st National League game since 1962. The Cards then take the regularly scheduled game, 7–5, in 10 innings.