Davey Williams
Encyclopedia
David Carlous Williams (November 2, 1927 - August 17, 2009) was an All-Star
second baseman
who played his entire career for the New York Giants
of the National League
. Listed at 5' 10", 160 lb., Williams batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Dallas, Texas
.
Williams entered the majors with the Giants in 1949, playing for them in part of that season and from 1951 through 1955. His most productive season came in 1952, when he posted career-numbers in home run
s (13), runs
(70), RBI
(48) and extrabases (42), while hitting a .254 batting average
in 138 games. In 1953, he hit a career-high .297, earned a selection on the NL All-Star team, and was a member of the 1954 World Series
champions.
In a six-season career, Williams was a .252 hitter (450-for-1785) with 32 home runs and 163 RBI in 517 games, including 235 runs, 163 RBI, 61 doubles
, 10 triples
and six stolen base
s. A good contact, free swinger hitter, he collected 164 walks
and 144 strikeout
s in 1993 appearances at the plate
. At second base, he recorded a .978 fielding percentage
(52 errors
in 2323 chances
).
Williams's playing career was cut short when he was never able to fully recover after injuring his back in a collision with Jackie Robinson
of the Brooklyn Dodgers, as Williams covered first base on Robinson bunt. Robinson later said that his intended target on the play had actually been Giant pitcher Sal Maglie
. Maglie had angered the Dodgers by throwing several pitches high and inside on Dodger hitters, so Robinson had bunted specifically looking for the opportunity to crash into Maglie on the play. However, Maglie didn't cover first base as Robinson had expected, so instead, it was Williams who took the brunt of Robinson's charge.
Following his playing career, Williams coached
for the Giants in the 1956 and 1957 seasons.
Williams died in his home town of Dallas, Texas, at the age of 81.
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
who played his entire career for the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. Listed at 5' 10", 160 lb., Williams batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
.
Williams entered the majors with the Giants in 1949, playing for them in part of that season and from 1951 through 1955. His most productive season came in 1952, when he posted career-numbers in home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (13), runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(70), RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(48) and extrabases (42), while hitting a .254 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in 138 games. In 1953, he hit a career-high .297, earned a selection on the NL All-Star team, and was a member of the 1954 World Series
1954 World Series
The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Indians, who had won an AL-record 111 games in the...
champions.
In a six-season career, Williams was a .252 hitter (450-for-1785) with 32 home runs and 163 RBI in 517 games, including 235 runs, 163 RBI, 61 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 10 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and six stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s. A good contact, free swinger hitter, he collected 164 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and 144 strikeout
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....
s in 1993 appearances at the plate
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
. At second base, he recorded a .978 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
(52 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 2323 chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
).
Williams's playing career was cut short when he was never able to fully recover after injuring his back in a collision with Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
of the Brooklyn Dodgers, as Williams covered first base on Robinson bunt. Robinson later said that his intended target on the play had actually been Giant pitcher Sal Maglie
Sal Maglie
Salvatore Anthony Maglie was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played from 1945-1958 for the New York Giants, Cleveland Indians, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals. Maglie was known as "Sal the Barber", because he gave close shaves—that is, pitched inside to...
. Maglie had angered the Dodgers by throwing several pitches high and inside on Dodger hitters, so Robinson had bunted specifically looking for the opportunity to crash into Maglie on the play. However, Maglie didn't cover first base as Robinson had expected, so instead, it was Williams who took the brunt of Robinson's charge.
Following his playing career, Williams coached
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Giants in the 1956 and 1957 seasons.
Williams died in his home town of Dallas, Texas, at the age of 81.