Former Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros manager Jimy Williams died at the age of 80 on Friday, his old clubs announced Monday morning.
Williams got his start as an infielder out of Fresno State in the 1960s. He spent two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals before a shoulder injury ended his playing days and opened the door to his coaching career.
After spending time in the California Angels' minor league system, Williams joined the Blue Jays as a third base coach under manager Bobby Cox. When Cox left to lead the Atlanta Braves in 1986, Williams took over as Toronto's next manager.
Williams led the Blue Jays to three consecutive winning seasons, but he was fired in 1989 after starting the year 12-24. From there, Williams followed Cox to Atlanta and was part of the staff that won the World Series in 1995.
The Red Sox hired Williams to be their manager ahead of the 1997 campaign. Boston made the playoffs in 1998 and 1999 – losing in the ALDS and ALCS – respectively, with Jimy Williams winning AL Manager of the Year in 1999.
Following a third-straight second-place finish in the AL East in 2000 and a late-summer slump in 2001, the Red Sox fired Williams.
The Astros were the next franchise to hand Williams the keys, and he led the club to two second-place finishes in the NL Central in his first two years at the helm. A .500 record midway through the 2004 season spelled the end for Williams, however, as he was once again let go.
Williams spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as the Philadelphia Phillies' bench coach. After the Phillies won the World Series in 2008, Williams retired from coaching.
More must-reads: