Billy Grabarkewitz – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Billy Grabarkewitz isn’t exactly a household name these days, but you know what? His short, unforgettable Major League Baseball career made a real impression on the sport back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Born in Lockhart, Texas, in 1946, this flexible infielder became known for his clutch hitting—especially on Sundays. People even started calling him “Billy Sunday” during his standout 1970 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He spent seven seasons in the majors from 1969 to 1975. Grabarkewitz played 466 games across five different teams before he hung up his cleats at just 29.

His career had some wild highs and frustrating lows. Injuries shaped his journey, turning him from a bright prospect into more of a utility guy.

Honestly, while he only batted .236 over his career, he still showed surprising power and always seemed to come through in big moments.

Let’s take a look at how this small-town Texas athlete climbed through the Dodgers’ farm system and became an All-Star. He pushed through some brutal injuries and dealt with the ups and downs of pro baseball before finally stepping away from the game.

His story? It feels familiar—like so many players who had flashes of greatness but still had to fight through the physical and mental grind of Major League Baseball.

Billy Grabarkewitz’s Early Life and Amateur Career

Billy Cordell Grabarkewitz grew up in a working-class Texas family and turned into a standout multi-sport athlete at Alamo Heights High School. His skills eventually landed him at St. Mary’s University, where the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in 1966.

Family Background and Heritage

Billy Cordell Grabarkewitz was born January 18, 1946, in Lockhart, Texas, about 30 miles south of Austin. He was the second of three kids born to Adolph Charlie and Helen Maybelle (Bolton) Grabarkewitz.

His family’s story really echoes the American experience. Billy’s paternal grandparents came over from Poland in the late 1800s. On his mom’s side, there’s Irish heritage.

The Grabarkewitz family dealt with the Great Depression up close. Billy’s dad, Adolph, worked as a grocery delivery boy when he was just a kid, doing what he could to help out.

Later, Adolph took jobs in sales and even bartended, but he always loved baseball. That love for the game rubbed off on Billy in a big way.

Billy remembers watching the 1956 World Series on TV with his dad. That memory stuck with him.

During that Series, Billy became a huge fan of Brooklyn Dodgers shortstop Pee Wee Reese. Years later, that admiration came full circle when Billy wore Reese’s iconic number 1 for the Dodgers in 1969.

High School Achievements

The Grabarkewitz family moved from Lockhart to San Antonio while Billy was still young. He went to Alamo Heights High School, and his athletic abilities really started to shine there.

Billy earned varsity letters in five sports: baseball, basketball, football, golf, and track. That’s not something you see every day.

All that experience made him one of the school’s top athletes ever. Playing so many sports helped him build the quick reflexes and sharp hand-eye coordination that later defined his baseball career.

He graduated from Alamo Heights in 1964. College recruiters took notice of his achievements, which set him up for the next step in school and sports.

St. Mary’s University and Draft Selection

After graduating in 1964, Billy headed to St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. He played third base for the Rattlers and spent two years sharpening his game against college competition.

The Los Angeles Dodgers picked him in the 12th round of the June 1966 amateur draft. Funny enough, he landed right between two guys who would become future teammates and friends: Ted Sizemore and future All-Star shortstop Bill Russell.

Getting drafted was a huge turning point for Billy. The Dodgers saw something in him, even though he wasn’t a top-round pick.

Both the team and Billy benefited from the timing. The Dodgers were rebuilding with young talent, and Billy had gained the skills and confidence at St. Mary’s to make the jump to pro ball.

Major League Debut and Breakthrough with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Billy Grabarkewitz made it to the majors on April 22, 1969, at 23 years old. Injuries slowed him down at first as part of the Dodgers’ young “Mod Squad,” but he broke through in 1970, grabbing the third base job and earning his only All-Star nod with some eye-catching numbers.

Rookie Season and Mod Squad Era

He debuted at Dodger Stadium on April 22, 1969, facing the San Francisco Giants. Batting leadoff against lefty Ray Sadecki, he went 0-for-4 his first game—ground outs and strikeouts, nothing fancy.

The next day, he finally got his first big league hit—an infield single in the eighth off Cincinnati’s Wayne Granger. He also tied a major league record by playing a full nine innings at shortstop without a single fielding chance.

People started calling the group of young Dodgers rookies the “Mod Squad.” Grabarkewitz, Ted Sizemore, Bill Russell, Alan Foster, Bill Sudakis, and Willie Crawford made up the crew, named after the TV show and their flashy clothes.

Billy had a rough start, going just 3-for-39, and ended up mostly pinch-running. When the Dodgers got Maury Wills in June, they sent Billy back to Triple-A Spokane.

He returned later that season but only got 15 at-bats and didn’t manage a hit. Even so, other teams wanted him.

Transition to Third Base

The 1970 season changed everything for Grabarkewitz. Ted Sizemore hurt his leg five games in, and although Steve Garvey was blocking third base, Billy got his chance.

On April 12, he smacked his first major league home run—a two-run shot off San Diego’s Gary Ross. That was also the Dodgers’ first homer of the season.

Just two days later, he came through with a seventh-inning RBI single to clinch a 3-2 win over Houston.

When Sizemore came back April 19, Billy slid over to third base since Garvey was slumping with a .048 average. By the end of April, Billy was hitting .429, locking up the third base job.

The Dodgers had tried 39 different players at third base since moving to LA in 1958. Billy finally brought some stability with his improved bat and decent glove.

All-Star Selection and 1970 Season Highlights

Billy’s hot streak in May 1970 put him on the All-Star radar and earned him the nickname “Billy Sunday” for his monster games on Sundays. He briefly led the National League in batting, hitting .394 with a .479 OBP and .564 slugging in May.

His All-Star selection was a bit unusual since his name didn’t even appear on the ballot at first. Fans had to write him in. Tony Perez won the popular vote, but Mets manager Gil Hodges picked Billy as a reserve.

In the All-Star Game, Billy took over for Perez in the seventh and came through with a clutch single in the 12th. That hit set up Pete Rose’s famous collision with Ray Fosse, giving the NL a 5-4 win.

Key 1970 stats:

• 17 home runs (led team)
• 95 walks (led team)
• .289 batting average
• .399 on-base percentage

That “Billy Sunday” nickname really stuck. He hit .392 with 3 homers and 17 RBIs in the first 14 Sundays, and the Dodgers went 11-3 in those games.

Trades, Team Transitions, and Later Career

Billy’s career took some wild turns after that. He was part of a blockbuster trade that brought Frank Robinson to California. He bounced around with the Angels, Phillies, Cubs, and Athletics, always looking for a steady role.

California Angels and the Blockbuster Trade

The Dodgers traded Billy to the California Angels in November 1973 in a deal that sent Frank Robinson to the Angels. The package included Billy, Bill Singer, Mike Strahler, Bobby Valentine, and a few others.

That trade changed things for Billy. The Angels had plenty of infielders already, so Billy struggled to get regular playing time.

His stint with the Angels was short and, honestly, didn’t go well. The injuries that bothered him in LA kept popping up. The Angels mostly used him as a utility infielder, moving him around second, third, and short.

Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs Stints

In August 1973, the Angels shipped Billy to the Phillies in a complicated deal. The trade involved players to be named later, with Denny Doyle eventually going to California. Philadelphia got Aurelio Monteagudo and Chris Coletta along with Billy.

Billy’s time with the Phillies didn’t last long. The team was rebuilding and wanted younger players. His injury history didn’t help his case.

The Chicago Cubs picked him up for 1974. He didn’t play much, mostly coming off the bench or making the occasional start. His batting average never got back to that 1970 All-Star level, but his ability to play all over the infield kept him on the roster.

Final Season with Oakland Athletics

Billy signed with the Oakland Athletics for what turned out to be his last major league season in 1975. The A’s were fresh off three straight World Series titles and wanted some veteran depth.

He barely saw the field in Oakland. Billy mostly pinch-hit or played late-inning defense. The A’s roster was stacked, so regular playing time just wasn’t in the cards.

After 1975, Billy called it a career. He was only 29, but the injuries and drop in performance made it hard to keep going. In seven years, he played for five different teams—a tough road after that electric 1970 season.

Playing Style, Positions, and Notable Contributions

Billy Grabarkewitz made his mark as a utility infielder who could handle just about any position. His 1970 All-Star year showed what he could do at the plate, while his ability to move around the infield made him invaluable to the Dodgers.

Versatility at Third Base and Second Base

Billy showed off serious flexibility with the Dodgers. He played third base, second, and shortstop, and manager Tom Lasorda once said, “He can play third, short or second with equal skill.”

The Dodgers leaned on his versatility during the 1970 season. When Ted Sizemore went down early, Billy stepped in at second. Later, he moved to third when Steve Garvey’s bat went cold.

His knack for switching positions made him a key piece for a team that just couldn’t settle on an infield. The Dodgers had tried 39 different third basemen since moving to LA, but Billy seemed to finally solve the problem in 1970.

Offensive Performance and Records

Billy’s bat really came alive in 1970. He hit .394 with a .564 slugging percentage in May, nearly winning National League Player of the Month.

His Sunday performances became the stuff of legend, and that’s where the “Billy Sunday” nickname came from. In the first 14 Sundays, he hit .392 with 3 homers and 17 RBIs, helping the Dodgers to an 11-3 record in those games.

Notable 1970 achievements:

• Led the team with 17 home runs
• Delivered multiple game-winning hits
• Made the All-Star team as a reserve
• Came close to hitting for the cycle more than once

But he was aggressive at the plate, and that sometimes hurt him. He set a franchise record with 149 strikeouts in 1970, which kind of sums up his all-or-nothing style.

Defensive Skills and Reputation

People called Grabarkewitz a “stellar shortstop,” and scouts considered him the top prospect in the Los Angeles farm system while he played in the minors.

He used his defensive skills to make an immediate impact when he got called up to the majors.

During his 1969 debut season, his fielding really stood out. In one game against Cincinnati, he tied a major league record by playing all nine innings at shortstop without a single fielding chance. Wild, right?

Folks outside the Dodgers organization respected his glove work too. That same year, teams like the Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, and Kansas City Royals tried to acquire him.

The Dodgers turned down those offers every time, knowing how much his versatility helped their defense.

Challenges, Injuries, and Retirement in 1975

Billy Cordell Grabarkewitz dealt with a string of physical setbacks in his last years in Major League Baseball. These injuries limited both his playing time and what he could do on the field.

After battling through one injury after another, he eventually decided to retire from pro baseball in 1975. That couldn’t have been easy.

Injury Setbacks and Impact on Career

Injuries really shaped Grabarkewitz’s career. He never quite reached his full potential because something always seemed to get in the way.

His worst injury happened in 1968, when he broke his right ankle in four places during a play at home plate for the Albuquerque Dukes.

That injury stuck with him. When spring training rolled around in 1969, he just couldn’t hide a bad limp, and it affected how he played.

Then, in 1971, he got hurt again during spring training. Dodgers vice-president Al Campanis told Grabarkewitz and prospect Marv Galliher to stick around for extra double play drills after a full workout. They spent over an hour at it, and both players’ arms paid the price.

Grabarkewitz needed surgery on his arm after that. The recovery meant he didn’t get his first start until two weeks into the 1971 season, and he only played in fits and starts after that.

With all these injuries piling up, Grabarkewitz spent most of his remaining career in a utility role. His playing time dropped off, and he ended up bouncing between teams like the Phillies, Angels, Cubs, and A’s.

Decision to Retire from Major League Baseball

By 1975, his role had shrunk a lot since his big 1970 All-Star year. He only played in six games during the 1975 season, and that was basically it for his baseball career.

He stepped away after years of fighting through injury after injury. His stats—.236 average, 28 home runs, and 141 RBIs in 466 games—show just how much those physical problems affected him.

Grabarkewitz had once been the Dodgers’ top prospect. Retiring at 29, he closed the door on what might’ve been a much bigger career if not for all those injuries.

Even in his last season, you could see how injuries change everything for a player. He showed flashes of the guy who earned the nickname “Billy Sunday” in 1970, but he couldn’t shake the physical limitations that kept holding him back.

Post-Retirement Life and Legacy

Billy Cordell Grabarkewitz didn’t just fade away after baseball. He jumped into the business world and built a national insurance company. That 1970 All-Star season and his colorful personality still pop up in baseball history conversations.

Life after Baseball

After hanging up his spikes in 1975, Grabarkewitz found real success in business. He started a life insurance company and grew it into a big operation with more than 2,000 agents across the country.

The move from baseball to business worked out well for him. His company thrived, and he showed he could win off the field too.

He stayed connected to baseball, showing up for interviews and sharing stories about his days with the Dodgers and other clubs.

His business instincts helped him build solid wealth after his playing days. The insurance industry gave him a much more stable life than the injury-filled grind of pro sports.

Lasting Influence on the Game

Billy Grabarkewitz really made his mark during that wild 1970 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. At one point in the first half, he actually batted .420 and earned an All-Star nod, which turned his debut into something Dodgers fans still talk about.

He had a colorful personality, and honestly, the media loved him for it. Grabarkewitz tossed out lines like, “I’ve been X-rayed so many times, I glow in the dark,” and, “Abner Doubleday dreamed up this game to drive people crazy.” You just don’t hear that kind of thing every day.

People started calling Grabarkewitz and his young teammates “The Mod Squad.” Ted Sizemore, Bill Russell, Willie Crawford, Alan Foster, and Bill Sudakis all came up together in the late 1960s, and the nickname just kind of stuck.

If you look at his career stats, you’ll see a .236 batting average, 28 home runs, and 141 RBIs. Those numbers really show what promising players go through when injuries get in the way. It’s hard not to think about how unpredictable baseball can be, and how quickly a player’s window to shine can close.