Top Ten All Time Chicago Cubs By Position

Left Field — Billy Williams (1959-1974)

Sweet Swingin’ Billy from Whistler was the nickname Billy Williams went by. He had a beautiful swing.

That swing resulted in a .296/.364/.503 hitting line, with 392 home runs and 1,353 RBI. He had 2,510 hits and 1,306 runs in 2,213 games in a Cubs uniform.

If there was a Hall of Fame player who spent much of his career out of the spotlight and under-appreciated, it was Williams.

Williams was a quiet guy playing on Cubs teams that had larger than life personalities. When you have guys like Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Ferguson Jenkins on your team, and you are quiet, you can get lost in the shuffle. Perhaps that is the very reason he did not make it to the Hall of Fame until his sixth year of eligibility.

While Williams was quiet off the field, his play on the field was loud and clear. He was a tremendous player. He was a Rookie of the Year, was in six All-Star games, and was the Sporting News Player of the Year in 1972.

While the other guys got all the attention, it was Williams who was the Cubs’ leader.

“The leader of the Cubs is, of all people, the quiet man of the clubhouse, Billy Williams,” wrote Chicago sports columnist Bill Gleason. “Billy Williams, who seldom speaks in a voice that can be heard beyond his own cubicle, who wouldn’t say ‘Rah! Rah!’ if (Cubs owner) Phil Wrigley promised him a $10,000 bonus for each ‘Rah,!’ is the man to whom the Cubs look for leadership.

“He combines the dignity of Ernie Banks, the determination of (Ron) Santo, and the competitive fires of (Randy) Hundley, and he plays every day, every night.”

Williams was also an iron man. He held the National League record for consecutive games played with 1,117.

When people say someone walks softly and carries a big stick, it perfectly suits Billy Williams.

Next: Center Field -- The RBI Machine