Lefty Williams
Encyclopedia
Claude Preston "Lefty" Williams (March 9, 1893 – November 4, 1959) was an American
pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He is probably best known for his involvement in the 1919 World Series
fix, known as the Black Sox scandal
.
, to William and Mary Williams. He began his major league career on September 17, 1913, with the Detroit Tigers
.
His breakthrough season came in 1915, while with the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League
. That year, he pitched 418.2 innings, leading the league in wins (33) and strikeout
s (294), while featuring mostly his mid-90s fastball and swooping curve. His contract was then purchased by the Chicago White Sox
.
With the White Sox, Williams settled into the starting rotation and helped the team win the pennant in 1917, going 17-8. After spending 1918 working in Navy
shipyards, he came back strong in 1919 with his greatest performance, going 23-11 with a 2.64 earned run average
. The White Sox again won the American League
pennant. However, before that year's World Series
, he got caught up in the Black Sox scandal when teammate Chick Gandil
offered him $10,000 to lose
his starts. Williams only received $5,000, half of what he was promised, but that was still almost double his 1919 salary of $2,600.
In the series, Williams went 0-3, with an earned run average of 6.63. His three losses were a World Series record. It was tied in the 1981 Series when George Frazier
lost three games. Eight Men Out
author Eliot Asinof
wrote that Williams eventually turned against the fix as he prepared for his final Series start; Asinof later admitted that this particular anecdote was made-up.
In 1920, Williams went 22-14, but was caught up in the indictments handed down that autumn. Though acquitted by a jury, Williams and the seven other "Black Sox" were banned from organized baseball by Commissioner
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
.
Afterwards, Williams barnstormed and played in outlaw leagues for a few years, and he played briefly for the Fort Bayard Veterans team in New Mexico which was part of the Copper League or Cactus League. He supposedly took to drinking heavily. It was reported that the between-inning "nips" made him an intimidating pitcher to the batters.
Williams spent his later years in Laguna Beach, California
, operating a garden nursery business.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
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...
. He is probably best known for his involvement in the 1919 World Series
1919 World Series
The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...
fix, known as the Black Sox scandal
Black Sox Scandal
The Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...
.
Career
Williams was born in Aurora, MissouriAurora, Missouri
Aurora is a city in Lawrence County, Missouri, United States. The population was 7,014 at the 2000 census.-History:Between 1911 and 1920, the virulently Anti-Catholic newspaper The Menace was published in Aurora by W. F Phelps and Earl McClure...
, to William and Mary Williams. He began his major league career on September 17, 1913, with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
.
His breakthrough season came in 1915, while with the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. That year, he pitched 418.2 innings, leading the league in wins (33) and 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 (294), while featuring mostly his mid-90s fastball and swooping curve. His contract was then purchased by the 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...
.
With the White Sox, Williams settled into the starting rotation and helped the team win the pennant in 1917, going 17-8. After spending 1918 working in Navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
shipyards, he came back strong in 1919 with his greatest performance, going 23-11 with a 2.64 earned run average
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...
. The White Sox again won the 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...
pennant. However, before that year's World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
, he got caught up in the Black Sox scandal when teammate Chick Gandil
Chick Gandil
Charles Arnold "Chick" Gandil was a professional baseball player. He played for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox of the American League. He is best known as the ringleader of the players involved in the 1919 Black Sox scandal...
offered him $10,000 to lose
Match fixing
In organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
his starts. Williams only received $5,000, half of what he was promised, but that was still almost double his 1919 salary of $2,600.
In the series, Williams went 0-3, with an earned run average of 6.63. His three losses were a World Series record. It was tied in the 1981 Series when George Frazier
George Frazier
George Francis Frazier, Jr. was an American journalist.Boston-raised, Frazier was graduated from Harvard College in 1932. He wrote for the Boston newspapers and for Esquire magazine, as well as many other venues, including the New York papers...
lost three games. Eight Men Out
Eight Men Out
Eight Men Out is an American dramatic sports film, released in 1988 and based on Eliot Asinof 1963 book 8 Men Out. It was written and directed by John Sayles....
author Eliot Asinof
Eliot Asinof
Eliot Asinof was an American writer of fiction and nonfiction best known for his writing about baseball. His most famous book was Eight Men Out, a nonfiction reconstruction of the 1919 Black Sox scandal.-Biography:...
wrote that Williams eventually turned against the fix as he prepared for his final Series start; Asinof later admitted that this particular anecdote was made-up.
In 1920, Williams went 22-14, but was caught up in the indictments handed down that autumn. Though acquitted by a jury, Williams and the seven other "Black Sox" were banned from organized baseball by Commissioner
Baseball Commissioner
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
Kenesaw Mountain Landis was an American jurist who served as a federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and as the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death...
.
Afterwards, Williams barnstormed and played in outlaw leagues for a few years, and he played briefly for the Fort Bayard Veterans team in New Mexico which was part of the Copper League or Cactus League. He supposedly took to drinking heavily. It was reported that the between-inning "nips" made him an intimidating pitcher to the batters.
Williams spent his later years in Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city and artist community located in southern Orange County, California, United States, approximately southwest of the county seat of Santa Ana...
, operating a garden nursery business.
See also
- List of people banned from Major League Baseball
- List of Chicago White Sox team records