Rip Williams

Alva Mitchell Williams ["Buff"] (January 31, 1882 - July 23, 1933) was a reserve infielder/outfielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly as a catcher or first baseman for three different teams between the by|1911 and by|1918 seasons. Listed at 5' 11.5", 187 lb., Williams batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Carthage, Illinois.

Basically a line drive hitter and a competent glove man, Williams entered the majors in 1911 with the Boston Red Sox, playing for them one year before joining the Washington Senators (1912-1916) and Cleveland Indians (1918). His most productive season came in 1911 with Boston, when he posted career-numbers in games (95), runs (31), RBI (31) and stolen bases (9). He also hit a career-high .318 in 61 games for the 1912 Senators.

In a seven-season career, Williams was a .265 hitter (314-for-1186) with two home runs and 145 RBI in 498 games, including 111 runs, 51 doubles, 23 triples, 27 stolen bases, and a .328 on-base percentage. He made 364 fielding appearances as a catcher (212), first baseman (144), right fielder (5), third baseman (2) and center field (1). Williams died at the age of 51 in Keokuk, Iowa.

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/williri01.shtmlmainly Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/W/Pwillr104.htm Retrosheet]