Earl Williams – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Earl Williams made his mark with an eight-year run in Major League Baseball, full of raw talent and its share of drama. Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1948, Williams started out as a high school pitcher but somehow, by the 1970s, he’d become one of baseball’s most powerful catchers. He wrapped up his pro baseball career in 1977 after a final season with the Oakland Athletics, finishing with National League Rookie of the Year honors and 138 home runs.

Williams bounced around the majors, finding his best years with the Atlanta Braves before moving on to the Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos, and finally Oakland. He put up big power numbers and played multiple positions, but run-ins with managers and teammates often grabbed the spotlight away from his play. Williams never got a World Series ring, but his switch from pitcher to catcher and his knack for driving in runs left a real impression on the game.

His story shows how unpredictable pro sports can be. Raw talent has to mix with team politics, position changes, and all sorts of personal stuff. Williams’ Rookie of the Year win, the trades, and his early exit at 29 give you a look at the pressures and chances that athletes faced in baseball’s changing landscape.

Early Life and Background

Earl Craig Williams Jr. was born July 14, 1948, in Newark, New Jersey. He grew up in a working-class family and went to Montclair High School, where he started turning heads with his athleticism.

Family and Hometown

Williams spent his childhood in Newark during the 1950s and 60s. His family created a solid foundation that helped him grow as an athlete.

Newark was a busy, industrial city that produced its share of sports talent. The city’s neighborhoods and youth sports leagues gave Williams a lot of chances to hone his game.

His family believed in hard work and dedication, and those values really shaped how he approached baseball.

The Williams family pushed Earl to stick with baseball. They backed him in local leagues and travel teams, which made a big difference.

High School and Youth Baseball

Williams attended Montclair High School in Montclair, New Jersey. The school’s baseball program was strong and helped him develop further.

He played all over the field in high school. Scouts started to notice his natural athletic ability and strong hitting skills.

His high school play caught the eye of both pro and college scouts. It was clear he had something special.

Coaches at Montclair High helped him sharpen his fundamentals. They saw his potential early on.

The Milwaukee Braves picked Williams in the first round of the 1965 Amateur Draft, even though he was still in high school. Scouts clearly thought he was a can’t-miss prospect.

Ithaca College Experience

Williams accepted a scholarship to Ithaca College in New York. He figured he could keep playing ball while getting an education.

But he left Ithaca early to chase the dream of pro baseball. The chance was just too good to turn down.

Back then, a lot of talented players made that same choice. Pro sports often won out over finishing college.

His short time at Ithaca gave him a taste of college life. That experience helped him grow as a player and a person.

Choosing to sign with the Braves turned out to be the right move. Williams reached the majors not long after.

Major League Debut and Rookie Year Success

Earl Williams debuted with the Atlanta Braves in September 1970, going 7 for 19 (.368) in just 10 games. His 1971 rookie season was wild—he won the National League Rookie of the Year award, even though he’d never actually caught in the minors.

Path to the MLB

Williams joined the Braves organization after the Milwaukee Braves drafted him sixth overall in 1965. He spent a few years working his way up the minors while also attending Ithaca.

Things clicked in 1969 at Greenwood in the Western Carolina League. Williams hit .340 with 33 home runs and 107 RBI, leading the league with 252 total bases. His monster home runs got the whole town talking—one shot went 350 feet out and 80 feet up.

In 1970, he split his time between Shreveport (Double-A) and Richmond (Triple-A). He hit .318 with 19 homers in 89 games at Shreveport, which earned him his first big league call-up.

Williams made his major league debut on September 13, 1970, pinch-hitting for pitcher Bob Priddy. Three days later, he got his first hit—a single off Hall of Famer Juan Marichal. He wrapped up his 1970 cameo with a .368 average in 19 at-bats.

1971 National League Rookie of the Year

The 1971 season was when Williams really broke out. Manager Lum Harris surprised everyone on June 20 by telling him, “You’re my catcher.”

Williams had barely caught at any level before that. His only real experience was a partial game on May 23, 1971. Still, he adapted fast and kept hitting.

Williams finished 1971 with 33 home runs and 87 RBI, ranking fifth in the NL for RBI. He batted .260 and showed off his power all year. On June 13, he hit two three-run homers against the Astros, and he had five two-homer games that season.

The 1971 National League Rookie of the Year voting wasn’t even close. Williams grabbed 75% of the vote, beating out Willie Montanez of the Phillies. He became just the second catcher to win NL Rookie of the Year, after Johnny Bench.

First MLB Achievements

Williams’ rookie year had some real highlights. On April 16 against the Phillies, he delivered a two-run single that gave the Braves an 8-7 win.

The next day, he hit the first of his five two-homer games in 1971. Then on July 7, he homered twice off Barry Lersch in yet another win over the Phillies.

Key 1971 Stats:

• 33 home runs (led team)
• 87 RBI (5th in NL)
• .260 batting average
• 28 passed balls (21 while catching knuckleballer Phil Niekro)

He earned August Player of the Month in a media poll. His defense even got some praise. Phil Niekro said Williams caught his knuckleball “like he’d been playing it for ten years.”

Scout Honey Russell compared Williams to Johnny Bench on defense. Braves pitchers liked his smarts and the way he handled games, which was pretty impressive for a guy learning the position on the fly.

Peak Performance and Playing Style

Williams peaked during his rookie season in 1971, showing off big-time power and a knack for driving in runs. He played all over the field, but his time behind the plate was both his biggest strength and, honestly, a source of headaches.

Slugging Power and RBI Achievements

Williams could really crush the ball. His 1971 season, with 33 home runs and 87 RBI, put him among the NL’s best run producers.

He turned in some wild games, like June 13, 1971, when he hit two three-run homers against Houston. Just a few days later, he did it again against Philly.

Fans still talk about his long home runs from his Greenwood days—some went 350 feet out and 80 feet up. In spring training 1972, he blasted a 475-foot homer that kept his power reputation alive.

During his best years, Williams averaged 20 home runs a season. In 1972, he nearly repeated his rookie numbers with 28 homers and 87 RBI, batting .258.

Defensive Roles: Catcher, First Base, Third Base

Williams started out as a pitcher, then moved to first and third base in the minors. He’d never caught until he got to the majors.

The Braves made him their catcher in 1971, which was a shock since he had zero experience there. Manager Lum Harris basically told him, “You’re my catcher,” and that was that.

His athleticism helped him pick up catching fast. Phil Niekro liked throwing to him, saying Williams caught his knuckleball like a veteran. His strong arm from his pitching days didn’t hurt either.

Williams still played first and third base, too. At the start of 1971, he backed up Clete Boyer at third and Orlando Cepeda at first before settling in as the main catcher.

Strengths and Limitations

Williams’ biggest strength was his power—he could drive in runs like few others. He picked up catching quickly, which impressed his teammates. Braves pitchers liked his intelligence and the way he called games.

But he fought some real challenges. He had trouble keeping his weight down, showing up to spring training in 1972 about 15-25 pounds overweight. His defense slipped after his rookie year, and he allowed 28 passed balls in 1972.

Williams didn’t hide his dislike for catching, once saying his “favorite position is batter.” That attitude rubbed some teammates and coaches the wrong way. Not fully embracing catching hurt his long-term value.

He also had holes in his hitting. Williams called himself a fastball hitter and said he felt “disoriented” in the American League, where pitchers didn’t give him as many pitches to hit.

Key Teams and Trades

Earl Williams played for four MLB teams during his seven-year career from 1970 to 1977. He had two separate runs with the Atlanta Braves and bounced around through trades, building his legacy as a power-hitting catcher who, frankly, didn’t love catching.

Atlanta Braves Tenure and Return

Williams started his big league career with the Atlanta Braves in September 1970. He quickly made a name for himself as a power hitter, even though he wasn’t thrilled about catching.

His breakout came in 1971, when he won NL Rookie of the Year. He hit .260 with 33 home runs and 87 RBIs, splitting time between catcher, first, and third.

In 1972, he kept up the offense, hitting 28 homers and driving in 87 runs with a .258 average. But his complaints about catching started to wear thin with the team.

Williams returned to Atlanta for a second stint from 1975 to 1976 after his time with Baltimore. The Braves traded him to Montreal during the 1976 season.

Baltimore Orioles Years

After the 1972 season, the Braves sent Williams to the Baltimore Orioles. His vocal dislike of catching played a big part in that move.

Williams played for Baltimore in 1973 and 1974. The Orioles gave him more time at first and third, which he preferred.

He kept hitting for power, though he never quite matched his rookie numbers. Baltimore liked his bat but moved on after two seasons.

Montreal Expos and Final MLB Season

Williams went to the Montreal Expos in 1976 after Atlanta traded him. This added another stop to his winding career.

His time with Montreal was short but memorable—it was basically his last season as a regular. The Expos released him on March 28, 1977, ending that chapter.

Montreal gave Williams another shot, but he still struggled to find a permanent home. Teams wanted his bat but worried about his defense and position preferences.

Oakland Athletics and Retirement

Williams signed with the Oakland Athletics as a free agent on April 3, 1977. This was his last shot at keeping his MLB career alive out West.

The Athletics released him on May 17, 1978, which pretty much closed the book on his pro career. His last game came on September 25, 1977, ending seven seasons in the majors.

After 1980, Williams wrote to ten big league teams looking for a spot. He admitted, “baseball is more than a game of numbers,” and blamed his exclusion on the “controversy” that followed him around.

Later Career, Retirement, and Post-Baseball Life

Earl Williams wrapped up his Major League Baseball career in 1977. He’d been dealing with ongoing controversies and his performance had slipped across several teams.

After his retirement, he jumped into civilian life. He took a job as a supervisor at Warner Jenkinson in South Plainfield, New Jersey.

Final MLB Seasons Leading to Retirement in 1977

Williams’ final seasons just didn’t go his way. He faced diminishing returns and clashed with management more than once.

After a rough 1973 season with Baltimore, he ended up bouncing between the Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos. That pattern stuck with him for the rest of his time in the majors.

Managers found Williams tough to handle, and that reputation followed him. You could still see flashes of the power that made him National League Rookie of the Year in 1971, but his production kept dropping.

Williams couldn’t lock down a steady role anywhere. He didn’t want to catch anymore, even though that position had started his rise, and teams noticed.

By 1977, at just 29, Williams was out of a job. His career statistics looked like a case of promise left hanging, with 121 career home runs and 373 RBIs over eight seasons.

The baseball world moved on without much fanfare. Williams played his final game in 1977, closing out a career that had started with so much hype only seven years before.

Life and Career After Baseball

Williams tried to get back into baseball after his 1977 retirement. After the 1980 season, he wrote letters to 10 major league teams, hoping for a shot, and admitted, “time and experience have certainly taught me that baseball is more than a game of numbers.”

No team gave him a chance. Williams then shifted into a civilian career, working as a supervisor at Warner Jenkinson in South Plainfield, New Jersey.

He’d gone to Ithaca College for three years, focusing on broadcasting and journalism. While still playing, Williams even auditioned for radio gigs in New York City between the 1971 and 1972 seasons.

After baseball, he kept a pretty low profile. He stayed in New Jersey, the same state where he’d grown up in Newark.

Earl Williams passed away on January 28, 2013, at age 64 in Somerset, New Jersey. His death closed the chapter on a life that saw both big-time athletic moments and some tough times in pro baseball.

Legacy, Recognition, and Passing

Earl Williams really did leave a lasting mark on baseball, especially with his powerful hitting and that unique rookie achievement, even though his career ended sooner than most expected. He fought acute leukemia before passing away in 2013 at 64.

Career Statistics and Baseball Almanac Reflections

Williams put up some solid numbers over his eight-year career from 1970 to 1977. He finished with a .247 batting average, 138 home runs, and 457 RBIs in 889 games.

He peaked early. In 1971, he hit .260 with 33 home runs and 87 RBIs. The next year, he kept up the power with 28 home runs.

Williams suited up for four teams during his career. He spent most of his time with the Atlanta Braves, playing five seasons there.

He also played for the Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos, and Oakland Athletics. As a catcher, first baseman, and third baseman, Williams kept his power numbers up throughout his career.

His career OPS sat at .742, which was pretty solid for his era. People called him “Big Money”—a nod to his hitting and how he showed up in big moments.

Awards and Honors

Williams hit his highest point in 1971 when he won the National League Rookie of the Year award. He pulled that off without ever catching in the minors before taking the award at that position.

That rookie year, he blasted 33 home runs and drove in 87 runs over 145 games. Those numbers helped him edge out some tough competition for the honor.

The rookie award was really the highlight of Williams’ career recognition. He never made an All-Star team or picked up any other major individual awards during his playing days.

Williams’ quick climb to Rookie of the Year made his short career stand out even more. Not many players win such a big award and then leave the game within seven years.

Impact and Remembrance

Williams died on January 28, 2013, at his home in Somerset, New Jersey. He’d been fighting acute leukemia, and it eventually took his life at 64.

His death hit the baseball community hard, especially since Hall of Famers Earl Weaver and Stan Musial had just passed away too. Folks remembered the Newark native and longtime Montclair resident for his powerful swing and that one-of-a-kind career path.

Williams also spent time serving in the New Jersey National Guard, not just playing baseball. That military service really gave his life another layer outside the world of sports.

He faced some personal challenges along the way, and his story still reminds people how quickly things can change in pro sports. You just never know.

People still talk about the former Braves catcher, especially his rookie of the year award and his spot in baseball history.