Born
on November 17, 1932 in Ninety Six, South Carolina, Robert Rosel Williams got
his start with Negro League baseball when only eight years old. His uncle was the manager of the Ninety Six
Blue Jays, a local independent Negro team.
Williams was the bat boy and his uncle allowed him to play first base
one inning of one game.
He
became a star player with the Blue Jays while in high school. They played against black teams in South and
North Carolina, and from Washington, D.C.
After high school, Williams went on to play at South Carolina
State. Through his college coach, he got
a tryout with the Birmingham Black Barons and he was the team’s shortstop in
1954.
Drafted
into the Army after one season with the Black Barons, Williams broke his ankle
while playing baseball on a military team.
When his military service time ended in 1956, he was invited to spring
training by the Cincinnati Reds. Although
Williams had a good spring and showed no signs of being injured, the Reds
released him stating he had a bad ankle.
After
baseball, Williams taught school and coached sports (baseball, football,
basketball, and track) in South Carolina.
What two former Negro League pitchers
played with the Cincinnati Reds in 1956?
