Evon Daniel "Denny" Williams (December 13, 1896 – March 23, 1929) was a professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

player whose career spanned eight seasons, three of which were spent in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) with the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

(1921) and

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

(1924–25, 1928). Over his MLB career, Williams batted .259 with 46

runs scored 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 bal ...

, 85

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, four doubles, three

triples TripleS (; ; stylized as tripleS) is a South Korean 24-member multinational girl group formed by Modhaus. They aim to be the world's first decentralized idol group, where the members will rotate between the full group, sub-units, and solo activi ...

, and 18

runs batted in A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...

(RBIs) in 120 games played. Williams spent the majority of his career in the

minor leagues Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

with the Moose Jaw Robin Hoods (1920), Joplin Miners (1921),

Mobile Bears The Mobile Bears were an American minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama. The franchise was a member of the old Southern Association, a high-level circuit that folded after the 1961 season. Mobile joined the SA in 1908 as the ''Sea Gu ...

(1922–24, 1926–27) and

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

(1928). During

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

in 1929, Williams was a member of the minor league

Portland Beavers The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL. Franchise history Many baseball teams h ...

when he was killed in an automobile accident. He stood at and weighed . Williams batted left-handed, while throwing right.

Early and personal life

Evon Daniel "Denny" Williams was born on December 13, 1896, in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. His father, Daniel Williams, who was from

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

, worked for the Glaser Glass Company in Portland. Denny Williams had six siblings: sisters Mary, Sarah and Catherine; and brothers John, William and Thomas. In October 1925, Denny Williams married Thelma Elizabeth Duff of

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Professional career

Early minor league career and Cincinnati Reds (1920–23)

Before the start of the 1920 season, Williams was signed by the

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

Moose Jaw Robin Hoods of the Class-B

Western Canada League The Western Canada League was the name of three different baseball circuits in Minor League Baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with ...

. On the season, he batted .322 with 158

in 117

games played Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested. Associat ...

. He finished second in the league in hits behind Chicken Hawks. At the end of the season, the

(MLB)

purchased Williams from the Moose Jaw club. On March 5, 1921, Williams reported to

with the Reds. During spring training, he played

right field A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In t ...

for the first time in his career. Towards the end of spring training, the

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speculated that Williams would the Reds' starting

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...

going into the

regular season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of S ...

. He made the Cincinnati club out of spring training. On April 15, Williams made his MLB debut as a

pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter (PH) is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, A ...

against the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

. Six of Williams' appearances with the Reds that season were as a pinch hitter and four of them were as a

pinch runner In baseball or softball, a pinch runner is a player substituted into a game for the purpose of base running. Description A pinch runner may be faster or otherwise more skilled at base running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been s ...

. Defensively, he played one game in

left field In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering syst ...

. Williams' last MLB appearance of the season came on June 1, against the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

. With the Red that year, he went hitless with two

strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

s in seven games played. In June 1921, Williams was farmed out by the Cincinnati Reds to the minor league Joplin Miners of the Class-A Western League. With the Miners, he batted .320 with 65 hits, six doubles, six

and one

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

in 56 games played. On July 29, Williams was released by the Joplin club. At the start of the 1922 season, Williams signed with the

of the Class-A

Southern Association The Southern Association (SA) 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 B (1902-19 ...

. On September 25, Williams hit a home run in the tenth

inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other tea ...

, which gave Mobile the win against Fort Worth Panthers in the 1922

Dixie Series The Dixie Series was an interleague postseason series between the playoff champions of Minor League Baseball's Southern Association (SA) and Texas League (TL). The best-of-seven series was held at the conclusion of each season from 1920 to 195 ...

. The Mobile club won the Dixie Series that season. Williams batted .298 with 187 hits with 25 doubles, seven triples and four home runs in 137 games played that season. He was tied for third with Snake Henry in hits in the Southern Association. He returned to the Mobile Bears in 1923. On the season, he batted .328 with 212 hits, 33 doubles, four triples and one home runs in 160 games played. He led the Southern Association in hits.

Boston Red Sox and later career (1924–28)

At the start of the 1924 season, Williams re-signed with the minor league Mobile Bears of the Class-A Southern Association. However, early in the season he was purchased by the MLB

to be used as a reserve outfielder. He made his season debut as a pinch runner on April 23, against the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

. In that game, Williams scored a run. After three games in the majors that year, he was sent back down to the Mobile club. With the Bears that season, he batted .327 with 159 hits, 18 doubles, three triples, and three home runs in 120 games played. On August 27, Williams was recalled by the Red Sox. On September 8, in a game against the New York Yankees, Williams got his first MLB hit, a double, off of

Bullet Joe Bush Leslie Ambrose "Bullet Joe" Bush (November 27, 1892 – November 1, 1974) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, Pittsburgh Pirate ...

. Williams got four hits in five

at-bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, b ...

s in on September 9, against the New York Yankees. On the season with Boston that season, Williams batted .365 with 17 runs scored, 31 hits, three doubles, four

(RBIs), three

stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out ...

s, and 10

base on balls A base on balls (BB), better known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches during a plate appearance that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The bas ...

in 25 games played. He returned to the Red Sox in 1925. With Boston, he batted .229 with 28 runs scored, 50 hits, one double, three triples, and 13 RBIs in 69 games played. On January 21, 1926, Williams was sold to the minor league Mobile Bears. On the season, he batted .352 with 215 hits 32 doubles, five triples, and two home runs in 155 games played. Williams finished second in the league in hits. He returned to the Mobile club in 1927. With the Bears that season, he batted .350 with 223 hits, 24 doubles, eight triples and two home runs in 157 games played. He led the Southern Association in hits that season. Williams spent spring training in 1928 with the Boston Red Sox and was expected to be the starting outfielder. His last MLB appearance came as a pinch hitter on July 18, against the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

. He had an

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operation which caused him to miss some playing time that season. With the Red Sox that season, he batted .222 with one run scored, four hits and one RBI in 16 games played. After playing with the Red Sox in 1928, Williams joined the minor league

of the Double-A

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...

. On the season, he batted .313 with 47 hits, six doubles, two triples and one home run in 39 games played. In December 1928, Williams was sold by the Boston Red Sox to the minor league

of the Double-A

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

Death

On March 23, 1929, Williams was returning to Portland, Oregon from spring training in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

with his Portland Beavers teammates when he was killed in an automobile accident. Two other players, Mack Hillis and

Yats Wuestling George Wuestling (October 18, 1903 – April 26, 1970), sometimes referred to as "Yats" or "Yatz", was an American baseball player. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, he played professional baseball, primarily as a shortstop, from 1924 to 1934, in ...

, who were also in the vehicle were seriously injured. In total, six Beavers players were making the trip when their vehicle was hit by another causing them to veer off into an embankment. Williams was buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in his home-town of Portland.

References

;General references # # ;Inline citations

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Denny 1890s births 1929 deaths Baseball players from Portland, Oregon Major League Baseball outfielders Moose Jaw Robin Hoods players Cincinnati Reds players Joplin Miners players Mobile Bears players Boston Red Sox players Baltimore Orioles (International League) players 20th-century American sportsmen Sports deaths in California Road incident deaths in California