On the blog today, we add "Sweet Swingin' Billy from Whistler", Billy Williams, to my 1963 "Lost Second Series" Fleer set, released last year:
As
I stated earlier here on the blog: Is it possible to be considered
overshadowed and underrated yet still make the Hall of Fame? Williams is
the perfect example!
By the time he
retired, he finished with 2711 hits, 1410 runs scored, 426 home runs,
1475 runs batted in and a .290 batting average over 2488 games.
He was the National
League Rookie of the Year in 1961, two-time runner-up to the MVP Award
(thanks to Johnny Bench each time) in 1970 and 1972 and a six-time
All-Star.
What a career he put
together, yet always in the shadows of giants like teammate Ernie
Banks, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente.
Nevertheless, though
it took him six years of eligibility to make it, he was elected for a
rightful place in Cooperstown in 1987 when he received 85.7% of the
vote.
Just a great player all around, and any chance I have to focus on him for a card creation I will happily take it!