Ken Williams - Baseball

Born in Grants Pass in 1890, Ken Williams was one of the state’s first Major Leaguers, spending 14 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Browns and Boston Red Sox as a top-flight hitter and base stealer.

Williams didn’t find his way to professional baseball until 1913, when he was already 23. After two successful seasons in the minors, he earned time with the Cincinnati Reds in 1915 and ’16, but didn’t become a Major League regular until 1919 with the Browns at age 29.

In the following 11 years, Williams hit .300 or better 10 times, stole 149 bases and 196 home runs. In ’22, he led the American League with 39 homers and drove in 155 runs as the Browns finished second, just a game behind the New York Yankees. He also stole 37 bases, becoming the first player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases.

In 1929, the Red Sox released him and he closed his career with two seasons in Portland, retiring in 1931 at age 41.

In all or part of 14 seasons in the Majors, Williams had 1,552 hits, hit 196 homers, drove in 913 runs, stole 154 bases and finished with a .319 average. In four seasons with the Beavers, Williams hit .321 with 71 homers.

 Williams ran a restaurant in Grants Pass before passing away in 1959. He was inducted to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 1980.