Gus Williams (outfielder)
Encyclopedia
August Joseph "Gus" Williams, Jr. (May 7, 1888 – April 16, 1964), known also as "Gloomy" Gus Williams, was a German American
professional baseball
player whose career spanned 10 seasons, five of which were spent in Major League Baseball
(MLB) with the St. Louis Browns (1911–15). Over his major league career, Williams batted
.263 with 171 runs scored, 367 hits
, 58 doubles
, 31 triples
, 12 home runs, 147 runs batted in (RBIs), and 95 stolen base
s in 410 games played
. Williams career started out in 1909 with the Monmouth Browns of the Class-D Illinois–Missouri League. After playing in the minor leagues
for two seasons, Williams made his major league debut in 1911. He had another stint in the majors in 1912. In 1913, Williams served as the Browns regular outfielder. He was a dead-ball era
power hitter for the Browns, ranking in the top-10 amongst American League
hitters in home runs during the 1913 and 1914 seasons. He led the league in strikeout
s in 1914. Williams would make his last appearance in the major leagues during the 1915 season. He would go on to play in the minors with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1915), Nashville Volunteers (1916), Louisville Colonels (1917), and Indianapolis Indians
(1918). In the minors, he compiled a career batting average of .293 with 838 hits in 759 games played. Williams also played semi-professional
baseball after leaving the professional circuit. He batted and threw left-handed. During his baseball career, Williams stood at 6 feet (182.9 cm) and weighed 185 pounds (83.9 kg).
to August, Sr. and Clara Williams of Indiana
, and Illinois
, respectively. The two had four other children, Frank, Ross, Reed, and Weston. August Williams, Sr., whose parents hailed from Germany
, was a fire chief
in Omaha. Gus Williams had five siblings; sisters Mamie, Carie, Louisa, and Theresia; and brother Harry
. Harry would go on to play two seasons with the New York Yankees
(1913–14). For much of his adolescent life, he worked in a meat packing plant
in Omaha. In 1908, Williams tried-out with the Lincoln Railsplitters as a pitcher
. He was turned away from their training camp after he was too "wild". Later in 1908, he signed with the minor league
Marion Diggers of the Class-D Ohio State League
, again as a pitcher. However, Williams he joined a semi-professional
league, and did not play with the Marion club.
Williams out to the Monmouth Browns of the Class-D Illinois–Missouri League. He was used as a pitcher for the Browns until June when manager
John Corbett converted Williams to an outfielder
. In September, a scout from the St. Louis Browns saw Williams play and reported back to the team's management that they should sign him. He was drafted later that month by the Browns in Major League Baseball's
(MLB) rule 5 draft
. The Browns had to pay Monmouth US$300 in accordance with the draft, but the Lincoln club contested the transaction, since Williams' contract was still owned by the Railsplitters. Baseball's National Commission ruled that Lincoln should receive the compensation from the Browns, since Williams was still under contract with them. Williams finished the season with the Monmouth club. He compiled a .327 batting average
with 64 hits
, 10 doubles
, 15 triples
, and two home run
s. Williams finished the season first in the Illinois–Missouri League in slugging percentage (.555), tied for first in triples, and fourth in batting average.
Williams again played with the Monmouth Browns in 1910, who were now members of the Class-D Central Association
. In July, as a member of the Monmouth club, Williams hit a home run during an exhibition game
against the MLB Chicago Cubs
, which ended in the Cubs favor by a score of 5–to–4. By the end of the season, Williams had compiled a .290 batting average with 138 hits, 30 doubles, 11 triples, and seven home runs in 128 games played. Amongst league batters, he was second in triples, third in total bases
(211), and fourth in slugging percentage (.443). After the season, the St. Louis Browns stated their intent for Williams to make his MLB debut during the 1911 season.
in 1911, Williams played with the St. Louis Browns. He made his MLB debut on April 12, against the Cleveland Naps
. In that game, he had three hits, which included two doubles, in three at-bats. With the Browns that season, he batted .269 with one run scored, seven hits, three doubles, and four runs batted in (RBIs) in nine games played
. He was assigned to the Omaha Rourkes of the Class-A Western League
in mid-May. In July, Williams was benched due to poor play. The Lincoln Evening News stated that Williams had trouble hitting curveball
s. On the season, Williams batted .303 with 149 hits 26 doubles, 15 triples, and 10 home runs in 128 games played. He was third in the league in home runs; and was tied for fifth in triples, and slugging percentage (.478).
Williams joined the Montgomery Rebels of the Class-A Southern Association
at the start of the 1912 season. On June 17, Williams quit the Montgomery club after he stated it was too hot to play baseball in the area. He returned to his home-town of Omaha, where he played during the 1911 season where he asked the team for a contract. John Dobbs
, the president
of the Rebels telegraphed Williams at his home in Omaha that Montgomery would raise his salary if he returned to the team. However, Williams stated he did not want to return to the Montgomery team that season. In 57 games played with the Rebels that season, he batted .286 with 54 hits. Williams joined the St. Louis Browns in July. Williams made his MLB season debut on July 27, against the New York Highlanders
. In that game, he got one hit, a double, in three at-bats. In August, Williams replaced Heinie Jantzen
as the Browns every-day outfielder. Williams' first career MLB home run came on September 27, against Chicago White Sox
pitcher Frank Lange
. During the next game on September 28, Williams hit his second career home run, also against Frank Lange. On the season, he batted .292 with 32 runs scored, 63 hits, 13 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 32 RBIs, and 18 stolen base
s in 64 games played.
In 1913, Williams played his first full season in the majors. During spring training that season, he reportedly exceeded the expectations of St. Louis Browns manager George Stovall
. In May, a syndicated column
"Ball and Bat Notes" had a section calling Williams "one of the best fielders in the country". Williams batted .273 with 72 runs scored, 147 hits, 21 doubles, 16 triples, five home runs, 51 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases in 148 games played. Amongst American League
batters, Williams was second in strikeout
s (87); tied for fourth with Ty Cobb
in triples; tied for fifth with Rube Oldring
, and Danny Moeller
in home runs; tied for sixth with Oldring in at-bats per home runs (107.6), and eighth in extra base hit
s (42).
Williams re-signed with the St. Louis Browns in March 1914. The Browns feared that Williams would sign with a Federal League
team, since it was reported in February that he was in talks with the Kansas City Packers
, however he continued his tenure with St. Louis. Williams led the American League in batting average until the beginning of June. At one point in the season, Williams was sustaining a .452 batting average, with Sam Crawford
, and Shoeless Joe Jackson
trailing behind that. On June 26, The Washington Post
reported that Williams hit one of the longest home runs ever at Sportsman's Park
. Sportswriter Charles Bartlett stated that St. Louis manager Branch Rickey
was the reason for Williams success that year, writing: "Branch Rickey is the man who made a star of Gus Williams. Who ever heard of [Williams] playing the brand of ball he's been exhibiting this year". In July, Williams went into a slump, causing manager Rickey to position him at the sixth spot in the Browns batting order
. On the season, Williams batted .253 with 51 runs scored, 126 hits, 19 doubles, six triples, four home runs, 47 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases. He led American League hitters in strikeouts that season (120). Williams was also tied for seventh with Howie Shanks
, Marty Kavanagh
, Tris Speaker
, and Jimmy Walsh
in home runs; and tied for ninth with Donie Bush
, and Ty Cobb in stolen bases.
In late-February 1915, Williams re-signed with the St. Louis Browns, and reported to their spring training in Texas
. Browns manager Branch Rickey stated before the start of the season that he expected Williams to have a more productive season then 1914. The Kingston Daily Freeman called Williams the "best bad ball player" that season. With St. Louis that season, he batted .202 with 15 runs scored, 24 hits, two doubles, two triples, one home run, 11 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 45 games played. He made his lase MLB appearance on June 18.
in exchange for a pitcher to be named later
. On the season with Toronto, Williams batted .285 with 97 hits, 15 doubles, nine triples, and eight home runs in 90 games played. He finished the seasons fifth in the International League in home runs. After the season, Williams wrote Rowdy Elliott
, the manager of the Oakland Oaks
, requesting a chance to try-out for the team. Elliott said that he was not interested in another left-handed hitter, as he already had outfielders Rube Gardner, and Robert Middleton, who were also left-handed. Before the start of the 1916 season, Williams signed with the Nashville Volunteers of the Class-A Southern Association. The Volunteers won the Southern Association Championship that year. As a member of the winning team, Williams received a cash reward, and supply of cake
from a local Atlanta, Georgia
bakery
. With the Volunteers, he batted .298 with 156 hits, 33 doubles, 13 triples, and five home runs in 138 games played. Williams led the league in doubles, was second in hits, tied for second with Joe Harris in total bases (230), and tied for third with Ham Hyatt
in triples.
At the end of the 1916 season, Williams was selected by the Double-A Louisville Colonels of the American Association
in the minor league draft. He played the entire 1917 season with the Colonels, batting .279 with 161 hits, 29 doubles, 24 triples, and seven home runs in 148 games played. Williams led the American Association in triples; was fifth in doubles; and tied for fifth with Dave Altizer
, Johnny Beall
, Ray Demmitt
, Cozy Dolan, and Fred Nicholson
in home runs. After the season, Louisville traded Williams, along with Red Corriden
, to the Indianapolis Indians
, who like the Colonels were members of the American Association. Williams batted in the lead-off spot in the Indians batting order. He primarily played right field for the Indians. The Indians were in talks with the St. Louis Cardinals
to send Williams back to the majors, but negotiations fell through, resulting in him staying in Indianapolis. On the season, Williams batted .279 with 19 hits, four doubles, and three triples in 17 games played. That season would prove to be his last in professional baseball.
. By 1930, Williams was living in Sterling, Illinois
with his wife Hazel, and their two daughters. Williams and his wife worked out of their own office as chiropractor
s. In 1942, Williams was working for a Stewart Warner in Sterling. Williams died on April 16, 1964 at the age of 75 in Sterling. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Sterling.
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player whose career spanned 10 seasons, five of which were spent in Major League Baseball
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...
(MLB) with the St. Louis Browns (1911–15). Over his major league career, Williams batted
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 :...
.263 with 171 runs scored, 367 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....
, 58 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....
, 31 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....
, 12 home runs, 147 runs batted in (RBIs), and 95 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 in 410 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. Williams career started out in 1909 with the Monmouth Browns of the Class-D Illinois–Missouri League. After playing in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
for two seasons, Williams made his major league debut in 1911. He had another stint in the majors in 1912. In 1913, Williams served as the Browns regular outfielder. He was a dead-ball era
Dead-ball era
The dead-ball era is a baseball term used to describe the period between 1900 and the emergence of Babe Ruth as a power hitter in 1919. In 1919, Ruth hit a then league record 29 home runs, a spectacular feat at that time.This era was characterized by low-scoring games and a lack of home runs...
power hitter for the Browns, ranking in the top-10 amongst American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
hitters in home runs during the 1913 and 1914 seasons. He led the league in 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 1914. Williams would make his last appearance in the major leagues during the 1915 season. He would go on to play in the minors with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1915), Nashville Volunteers (1916), Louisville Colonels (1917), and Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
(1918). In the minors, he compiled a career batting average of .293 with 838 hits in 759 games played. Williams also played semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
baseball after leaving the professional circuit. He batted and threw left-handed. During his baseball career, Williams stood at 6 feet (182.9 cm) and weighed 185 pounds (83.9 kg).
Early life
Gus Williams was born on May 7, 1888 in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
to August, Sr. and Clara Williams of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, respectively. The two had four other children, Frank, Ross, Reed, and Weston. August Williams, Sr., whose parents hailed from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, was a fire chief
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
in Omaha. Gus Williams had five siblings; sisters Mamie, Carie, Louisa, and Theresia; and brother Harry
Harry Williams (baseball)
Harry Peter Williams was an American professional baseball player. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, he played a total of 85 games over two years for the New York Yankees as a first baseman. He made his major league debut on August 7, 1913 and played his last game June 30, 1914...
. Harry would go on to play two seasons with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1913–14). For much of his adolescent life, he worked in a meat packing plant
Meat packing industry
The meat packing industry handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock...
in Omaha. In 1908, Williams tried-out with the Lincoln Railsplitters as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He was turned away from their training camp after he was too "wild". Later in 1908, he signed with the minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Marion Diggers of the Class-D Ohio State League
Ohio State League
The first Ohio State League was a baseball league in 1887 before changing names to the Tri-State League.The first 20th century Ohio State League started in 1908 as a class D loop and ran through 1916. Another Ohio State League was formed in 1936 and ran through 1947 except for a break in '42-'43...
, again as a pitcher. However, Williams he joined a semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
league, and did not play with the Marion club.
Early minor league career (1909–1910)
In 1909, Williams signed with the minor league Lincoln Railsplitters, who he had tried out with a year before. Lincoln then farmedFarm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
Williams out to the Monmouth Browns of the Class-D Illinois–Missouri League. He was used as a pitcher for the Browns until June when manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
John Corbett converted Williams to an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. In September, a scout from the St. Louis Browns saw Williams play and reported back to the team's management that they should sign him. He was drafted later that month by the Browns in Major League Baseball's
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...
(MLB) rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. The Browns had to pay Monmouth US$300 in accordance with the draft, but the Lincoln club contested the transaction, since Williams' contract was still owned by the Railsplitters. Baseball's National Commission ruled that Lincoln should receive the compensation from the Browns, since Williams was still under contract with them. Williams finished the season with the Monmouth club. He compiled a .327 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 :...
with 64 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....
, 10 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....
, 15 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 two 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. Williams finished the season first in the Illinois–Missouri League in slugging percentage (.555), tied for first in triples, and fourth in batting average.
Williams again played with the Monmouth Browns in 1910, who were now members of the Class-D Central Association
Central Association
The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, and ran continuously through 1917.-1908:The teams from Burlington, Iowa, Jacksonville, Illinois, Keokuk, Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa, Ottumwa, Iowa, Quincy, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa joined after having...
. In July, as a member of the Monmouth club, Williams hit a home run during an exhibition game
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
against the MLB Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, which ended in the Cubs favor by a score of 5–to–4. By the end of the season, Williams had compiled a .290 batting average with 138 hits, 30 doubles, 11 triples, and seven home runs in 128 games played. Amongst league batters, he was second in triples, third in total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(211), and fourth in slugging percentage (.443). After the season, the St. Louis Browns stated their intent for Williams to make his MLB debut during the 1911 season.
St. Louis Browns (1911–15)
During spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in 1911, Williams played with the St. Louis Browns. He made his MLB debut on April 12, against the Cleveland Naps
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. In that game, he had three hits, which included two doubles, in three at-bats. With the Browns that season, he batted .269 with one run scored, seven hits, three doubles, and four runs batted in (RBIs) in nine games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. He was assigned to the Omaha Rourkes of the Class-A Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
in mid-May. In July, Williams was benched due to poor play. The Lincoln Evening News stated that Williams had trouble hitting curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
s. On the season, Williams batted .303 with 149 hits 26 doubles, 15 triples, and 10 home runs in 128 games played. He was third in the league in home runs; and was tied for fifth in triples, and slugging percentage (.478).
Williams joined the Montgomery Rebels of the Class-A Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
at the start of the 1912 season. On June 17, Williams quit the Montgomery club after he stated it was too hot to play baseball in the area. He returned to his home-town of Omaha, where he played during the 1911 season where he asked the team for a contract. John Dobbs
John Dobbs
John Gordon Dobbs was an outfielder in Major League Baseball from -. He was later a minor league manager from -. His career managerial record was 1918-smd.-External links:* *...
, the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Rebels telegraphed Williams at his home in Omaha that Montgomery would raise his salary if he returned to the team. However, Williams stated he did not want to return to the Montgomery team that season. In 57 games played with the Rebels that season, he batted .286 with 54 hits. Williams joined the St. Louis Browns in July. Williams made his MLB season debut on July 27, against the New York Highlanders
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. In that game, he got one hit, a double, in three at-bats. In August, Williams replaced Heinie Jantzen
Heinie Jantzen
Walter Charles "Heinie" Jantzen was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who was born in Chicago, Illinois and died at age 57 in Hines, Illinois. Jantzen played one season in the major leagues, playing 31 games for the St. Louis Browns between June 29 and September 13,...
as the Browns every-day outfielder. Williams' first career MLB home run came on September 27, against Chicago White Sox
Chicago 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...
pitcher Frank Lange
Frank Lange
Frank Herman Lange was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Sox.-External links:...
. During the next game on September 28, Williams hit his second career home run, also against Frank Lange. On the season, he batted .292 with 32 runs scored, 63 hits, 13 doubles, seven triples, two home runs, 32 RBIs, and 18 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 in 64 games played.
In 1913, Williams played his first full season in the majors. During spring training that season, he reportedly exceeded the expectations of St. Louis Browns manager George Stovall
George Stovall
George Thomas Stovall, nicknamed "Firebrand" , was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball with the Cleveland Naps and the St. Louis Browns in the American League, and he also played two seasons with the Kansas City Packers of the short-lived Federal League...
. In May, a syndicated column
Print syndication
Print syndication distributes news articles, columns, comic strips and other features to newspapers, magazines and websites. They offer reprint rights and grant permissions to other parties for republishing content of which they own/represent copyrights....
"Ball and Bat Notes" had a section calling Williams "one of the best fielders in the country". Williams batted .273 with 72 runs scored, 147 hits, 21 doubles, 16 triples, five home runs, 51 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases in 148 games played. Amongst American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
batters, Williams was second in 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 (87); tied for fourth with Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
in triples; tied for fifth with Rube Oldring
Rube Oldring
Reuben Henry "Rube" Oldring , was a professional baseball player who played outfield in the major leagues from 1905 to 1918. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics and New York Yankees....
, and Danny Moeller
Danny Moeller
Daniel Edward Moeller , was a professional baseball player.He was an outfielder in the Major Leagues from - and from -. During his career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Senators, and Cleveland Indians.-External links:...
in home runs; tied for sixth with Oldring in at-bats per home runs (107.6), and eighth in extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s (42).
Williams re-signed with the St. Louis Browns in March 1914. The Browns feared that Williams would sign with a Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
team, since it was reported in February that he was in talks with the Kansas City Packers
Kansas City Packers
The Kansas City Packers were a Federal League baseball club in Kansas City from 1914 to 1915. They finished sixth in 1914 with a 67-84 record, and fourth in 1915 with an 81-72 record....
, however he continued his tenure with St. Louis. Williams led the American League in batting average until the beginning of June. At one point in the season, Williams was sustaining a .452 batting average, with Sam Crawford
Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford , nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957....
, and Shoeless Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Joseph Jefferson Jackson , nicknamed "Shoeless Joe", was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the early part of the 20th century...
trailing behind that. On June 26, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported that Williams hit one of the longest home runs ever at Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
. Sportswriter Charles Bartlett stated that St. Louis manager Branch Rickey
Branch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
was the reason for Williams success that year, writing: "Branch Rickey is the man who made a star of Gus Williams. Who ever heard of [Williams] playing the brand of ball he's been exhibiting this year". In July, Williams went into a slump, causing manager Rickey to position him at the sixth spot in the Browns batting order
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
. On the season, Williams batted .253 with 51 runs scored, 126 hits, 19 doubles, six triples, four home runs, 47 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases. He led American League hitters in strikeouts that season (120). Williams was also tied for seventh with Howie Shanks
Howie Shanks
Howard Samuel Shanks , was a Major League Baseball outfielder. He played fourteen seasons in the majors, from 1912–1925, for the Washington Senators, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox.-See also:*List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases*List of Major League Baseball triples...
, Marty Kavanagh
Marty Kavanagh
Martin Joseph Kavanagh was a Major League Baseball infielder. Born in Harrison, New Jersey, he played 5 seasons with the Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , and St. Louis Cardinals . In 370 major league games, he had a .249 batting average and .330 on base percentage...
, Tris Speaker
Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker , nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 , and still holds the record of 792 career doubles...
, and Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Walsh was an Irish hurler who played as a left wing-forward for the Kilkenny senior team from 1932 until 1944....
in home runs; and tied for ninth with Donie Bush
Donie Bush
Owen Joseph "Donie" Bush , was a Major League Baseball shortstop in the American League for the Detroit Tigers and the Washington Senators...
, and Ty Cobb in stolen bases.
In late-February 1915, Williams re-signed with the St. Louis Browns, and reported to their spring training in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Browns manager Branch Rickey stated before the start of the season that he expected Williams to have a more productive season then 1914. The Kingston Daily Freeman called Williams the "best bad ball player" that season. With St. Louis that season, he batted .202 with 15 runs scored, 24 hits, two doubles, two triples, one home run, 11 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 45 games played. He made his lase MLB appearance on June 18.
Later career (1915–18)
On August 21, 1915 the St. Louis Browns traded Williams to the minor league Toronto Maple Leafs of the Double-A International LeagueInternational League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in exchange for a pitcher to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
. On the season with Toronto, Williams batted .285 with 97 hits, 15 doubles, nine triples, and eight home runs in 90 games played. He finished the seasons fifth in the International League in home runs. After the season, Williams wrote Rowdy Elliott
Rowdy Elliott
Harold Bell "Rowdy" Elliott , is a former professional baseball player who played catcher from 1910-1920. Elliott played for the Chicago Cubs for three seasons, 1916-1918....
, the manager of the Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks may refer to:*Oakland Oaks , a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 to 1955*Oakland Oaks , a professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey League from 1948 to 1949...
, requesting a chance to try-out for the team. Elliott said that he was not interested in another left-handed hitter, as he already had outfielders Rube Gardner, and Robert Middleton, who were also left-handed. Before the start of the 1916 season, Williams signed with the Nashville Volunteers of the Class-A Southern Association. The Volunteers won the Southern Association Championship that year. As a member of the winning team, Williams received a cash reward, and supply of cake
Cake
Cake is a form of bread or bread-like food. In its modern forms, it is typically a sweet and enriched baked dessert. In its oldest forms, cakes were normally fried breads or cheesecakes, and normally had a disk shape...
from a local Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
. With the Volunteers, he batted .298 with 156 hits, 33 doubles, 13 triples, and five home runs in 138 games played. Williams led the league in doubles, was second in hits, tied for second with Joe Harris in total bases (230), and tied for third with Ham Hyatt
Ham Hyatt
Robert Hamilton Hyatt was a Major League Baseball player who played first base from 1909 to 1918.Hyatt started his professional baseball career with the Vancouver Beavers of the Northwestern League. In 1908, he hit .323 with 15 home runs; he led the league in hits, home runs, and runs scored...
in triples.
At the end of the 1916 season, Williams was selected by the Double-A Louisville Colonels of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
in the minor league draft. He played the entire 1917 season with the Colonels, batting .279 with 161 hits, 29 doubles, 24 triples, and seven home runs in 148 games played. Williams led the American Association in triples; was fifth in doubles; and tied for fifth with Dave Altizer
Dave Altizer
David Tilden Altizer was a Major League Baseball player who played six seasons for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. Altizer died in Pleasant Hill, Illinois at the age of 87.-References:...
, Johnny Beall
Johnny Beall
John Woolf Beall was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Naps, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals.-Career:...
, Ray Demmitt
Ray Demmitt
Charles Raymond Demmitt , was a professional baseball player who played outfielder in the Major Leagues from - for the New York Highlanders, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tigers....
, Cozy Dolan, and Fred Nicholson
Fred Nicholson
Fred Nicholson , was a Major League Baseball player who played outfielder from -. He would play for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Braves, and Detroit Tigers.-External links:...
in home runs. After the season, Louisville traded Williams, along with Red Corriden
Red Corriden
John Michael "Red" Corriden was a player, coach, manager and scout in American Major League Baseball. A shortstop and third baseman in his playing days, Corriden appeared in 223 major league games with the St. Louis Browns , Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs , batting .205...
, to the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
, who like the Colonels were members of the American Association. Williams batted in the lead-off spot in the Indians batting order. He primarily played right field for the Indians. The Indians were in talks with 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...
to send Williams back to the majors, but negotiations fell through, resulting in him staying in Indianapolis. On the season, Williams batted .279 with 19 hits, four doubles, and three triples in 17 games played. That season would prove to be his last in professional baseball.
Later life
In July 1918, Williams signed with the semi-professional Allegheny Steel team, based out of Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. By 1930, Williams was living in Sterling, Illinois
Sterling, Illinois
Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,370 at the 2010 census, down from 15,451 at the 2000 census. Formerly nicknamed "The Hardware Capital of the World", Sterling has long been associated with manufacturing and the steel...
with his wife Hazel, and their two daughters. Williams and his wife worked out of their own office as chiropractor
Chiropractor
A Chiropractor, according to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges , "focuses on the relationship between the body's main structures – the skeleton, the muscles and the nerves – and the patient's health. Chiropractors believe that health can be improved and preserved by making adjustments to...
s. In 1942, Williams was working for a Stewart Warner in Sterling. Williams died on April 16, 1964 at the age of 75 in Sterling. He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Sterling.