BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox mourn the loss of former manager Jimy Williams, who passed away on Friday at the age of 80 in Florida after a brief illness.
Born in Santa Maria, CA, Williams was signed by the Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1964, and then selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1965 Rule 5 Draft out of California State University, Fresno. The infielder appeared in 14 Major League games with the Cardinals (1966-67) and played in the minor league systems of the Red Sox (1965), Cardinals (1966-67), Cincinnati Reds (1968), Montreal Expos (1969-71), and New York Mets (1971). Williams managed minor league teams from 1974-79, before returning to the Majors to manage the Toronto Blue Jays (1986-89), Red Sox (1997-2001), and Houston Astros (2002-04).
In his five seasons as Red Sox manager, Williams led the club to a 414-352 (.540) record, which ranks eighth on the franchise’s all-time managerial games and wins lists. Following a 78-84 (.481) record in his first season as Boston’s manager in 1997, he led the Red Sox to back-to-back Postseason berths in 1998 and 1999. Williams finished second in American League Manager of the Year voting in 1998 before winning the award in 1999, when his club went 95-68 (.580) and won the American League Division Series over Cleveland.
Williams is survived by his wife of 47 years, Peggy, as well as his sons, Shawn and Brady, his daughters, Monica Farr and Jenna Williams, and his eight grandchildren.