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Jay Sawyer of Chicago Talks about One of His Favorite Cubs of All Time, Billy Williams

Jay Sawyer is a huge baseball fan from Chicago who highly admires Billy Williams. Billy entered professional baseball in 1956 by starting his minor league career with the Ponca City Cubs of the Sooner State League. After returning to Ponca City in 1957 and hitting 17 home runs, he split 1958 between the Burlington Bees and Pueblo Bruins. Jay shares that Williams had never witnessed overt racial discrimination until his 1959 promotion to the Class AA San Antonio Missions in San Antonio, TX. He was so discouraged that he left the team and went back home. Buck Ou2019 Neil, the Cubs scout who had originally discovered Williams, was dispatched to Whistler, and he persuaded Williams to return to the team.

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Jay Sawyer of Chicago Talks about One of His Favorite Cubs of All Time, Billy Williams

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  1. Jay Sawyer of Chicago Talks about One of His Favorite Cubs of All Time, Billy Williams

  2. About Billy Williams • Jay Sawyer is a huge baseball fan from Chicago who highly admires Billy Williams. • Billy was born in Whistler, Alabama, and grew up in a segregated neighborhood. • As Williams’ father, who was a stevedore had also played first base for the semipro Whistler Stars; he always had his support to pursue his dreams.

  3. Williams Entered Professional Baseball In 1956 • Billy Williams entered professional baseball in 1956 by starting his minor league career with the Ponca City Cubs of the Sooner State League. • After returning to Ponca City in 1957 and hitting 17 home runs, he split 1958 between the Burlington Bees and Pueblo Bruins.

  4. When Williams Left the Team Due To Overt Racial Discrimination • Jay Sawyer of Chicago shares that Williams had never witnessed overt racial discrimination until his 1959 promotion to the Class AA San Antonio Missions in San Antonio, Texas. • He was so discouraged that he left the team and went back home. • Buck O’ Neil, the Cubs scout who had originally discovered Williams, was dispatched to Whistler, and he persuaded Williams to return to the team. • During the 1959 season, he advanced to the Class AAA Fort Worth Cats and even played 18 games for the Cubs. • In 1960, he hit 26 home runs for the Class AAA Houston Buffs and played in 12 major league games.

  5. Jay Sawyer Also Shares Why He Feels That Chicago Cubs Has Suffered More Heartbreak than Any Other Team In Major Professional Sports • Jay Sawyer of Chicago says that the franchise has seen many star players and just as many talented teams come and go, but the fact remains that the Cubs went 71 years between World Series appearances, and haven’t won it all since 1908. • Although the Cubs’ status as baseball’s longest suffering franchise is undisputed, Sawyer feels that the team’s misery is up for debate. • Some call it bad luck, while many others, especially in the North side of Chicago, argue that there is something more in play and that the team is cursed.

  6. Thank You Jay Sawyer Chicago

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