Bill Atkinson (baseball)
Encyclopedia
William Cecil Glenn Atkinson (born October 4, 1954) is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. The 5'7", 165 lb. right-hander was signed by the Montreal Expos
as an amateur free agent on October 4, , and he played for them from to .
. He was 3-3 with a 3.60 ERA
in 19 games, all in relief.
Atkinson played for the Class-A West Palm Beach Expos
in . He was 8-7 with a 3.03 ERA in 35 games, 13 starts.
In Atkinson was promoted to the Double-A Quebec Carnavals
. He complied a record of 7-8 with a 3.70 ERA in 33 games, 20 for starts.
Atkinson continued his climb through the Expos organization in . He was promoted to the Triple-A Memphis Blues
where he complied a record of 3-4 with a 2.80 ERA with 5 saves in 49 games, three starts.
At the age of 21 Atkinson split the season between the Triple-A Denver Bears and Montreal. With Denver he was 6-3 with a 3.99 ERA with 15 saves in 51 games, all in relief. Atkinson made his major league debut against the St. Louis Cardinals
on September 18 at Jarry Park Stadium
. He entered game one of the doubleheader
in the top of the fourth with Montreal trailing 4-0, and he proceeded to pitch three scoreless innings
of relief before being lifted for a pinch hitter
. He had allowed three hits
, struck out
one, and walked no one. He finished the season pitching five scoreless innings in four games.
In Atkinson spent the entire season with the Expos. He went 7-2 with a 3.35 ERA with seven in 55 games. Atkinson spent the entire '77 season with the Expos, the only time in his career this would be achieved.
Atkinson split the season between the Expos and the Bears. With the Expos he compiled a record of 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA in 14 games. With the Bears he was 1-3 with a dismal 7.41 ERA in 23 games.
In Atkinson's last season with the Expos organization, , he again split the season between the Bears and the Expos. With the Bears he was 9-6 with a with a 4.14 ERA in 36 games, 23 starts. With the Expos he was 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 10 games.
on December 12, but never again reached the major league level.
With the Iowa Oaks in the he compiled a record of 3-5 with a 4.60 ERA in 55 games, two starts.
In with the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers
Atkinson went 8-8 with a 5.48 ERA in 36 games, 16 starts.
His last two seasons were spent up and down the White Sox organization. In with the Double-A Glens Falls White Sox
he went 6-9 with a 2.85 ERA in 56 games, two starts. He split the season between the Class-A Appleton Foxes and the Triple-A Denver Bears going a combined 6-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 games, five starts.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. The 5'7", 165 lb. right-hander was signed by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
as an amateur free agent on October 4, , and he played for them from to .
Montreal Expos
In , Atkinson's first professional season, he was assigned to the Short-Season Jamestown FalconsJamestown Falcons
The Jamestown Falcons were a minor league baseball team that existed on-and-off from 1940 to 1972. They played in the PONY League from 1940 to 1956, and in the New York-Penn League in 1957 and from 1968 to 1972. Based in Jamestown, New York, they were affiliated with the Detroit Tigers from 1941 to...
. He was 3-3 with a 3.60 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 19 games, all in relief.
Atkinson played for the Class-A West Palm Beach Expos
West Palm Beach Expos
The West Palm Beach Expos were a Florida State League minor league baseball team that existed from 1969 to 1997. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, they were affiliated with the Montreal Expos and they played their home games at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium. They were one of the longest...
in . He was 8-7 with a 3.03 ERA in 35 games, 13 starts.
In Atkinson was promoted to the Double-A Quebec Carnavals
Québec Carnavals
The Québec Carnavals were a minor league baseball team in the Eastern League. They were known as the Quebec Metros from 1976-1977.After the team moved, Québec was without a minor league baseball team until the Québec Capitales began play in the Northern League in 1999.-Year-by-year record:...
. He complied a record of 7-8 with a 3.70 ERA in 33 games, 20 for starts.
Atkinson continued his climb through the Expos organization in . He was promoted to the Triple-A Memphis Blues
Memphis blues
The Memphis blues is a style of blues music that was created in the 1920s and 1930s by Memphis-area musicians like Frank Stokes, Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis and Memphis Minnie...
where he complied a record of 3-4 with a 2.80 ERA with 5 saves in 49 games, three starts.
At the age of 21 Atkinson split the season between the Triple-A Denver Bears and Montreal. With Denver he was 6-3 with a 3.99 ERA with 15 saves in 51 games, all in relief. Atkinson made his major league debut against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
on September 18 at Jarry Park Stadium
Jarry Park Stadium
Jarry Park Stadium is a former baseball stadium in Montreal which served as home to the Montreal Expos, Major League Baseball's first Canadian franchise, from 1969–1976. It served as a temporary home until the domed Olympic Stadium was finished and made available to the Expos...
. He entered game one of the doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
in the top of the fourth with Montreal trailing 4-0, and he proceeded to pitch three scoreless innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
of relief before being lifted for a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
. He had allowed three hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
one, and walked no one. He finished the season pitching five scoreless innings in four games.
In Atkinson spent the entire season with the Expos. He went 7-2 with a 3.35 ERA with seven in 55 games. Atkinson spent the entire '77 season with the Expos, the only time in his career this would be achieved.
Atkinson split the season between the Expos and the Bears. With the Expos he compiled a record of 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA in 14 games. With the Bears he was 1-3 with a dismal 7.41 ERA in 23 games.
In Atkinson's last season with the Expos organization, , he again split the season between the Bears and the Expos. With the Bears he was 9-6 with a with a 4.14 ERA in 36 games, 23 starts. With the Expos he was 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 10 games.
Chicago White Sox
Atkinson was purchased by the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
on December 12, but never again reached the major league level.
With the Iowa Oaks in the he compiled a record of 3-5 with a 4.60 ERA in 55 games, two starts.
In with the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
Atkinson went 8-8 with a 5.48 ERA in 36 games, 16 starts.
His last two seasons were spent up and down the White Sox organization. In with the Double-A Glens Falls White Sox
Glens Falls White Sox
The Glens Falls White Sox were an American minor league baseball team from Glens Falls, New York that played in the Eastern League from 1980 until 1985. The team was founded in 1980 as the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. In 1986, the team affiliated with the Detroit Tigers and...
he went 6-9 with a 2.85 ERA in 56 games, two starts. He split the season between the Class-A Appleton Foxes and the Triple-A Denver Bears going a combined 6-5 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 games, five starts.