This life-sized statue was unveiled in September 2010. It depicts the outfielder in his Cubs uniforms apparently just having hit a ball and looking to see if it would be a hit before running.
This news story (
visit link) speaks about the unveiling:
"A statue of Hall of Famer Billy Williams was dedicated by the Chicago Cubs outside Wrigley Field on Tuesday.
The sculpture was unveiled before Chicago's home game against the Houston Astros. Williams was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife, Shirley. Also in attendance were former teammates Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, Ron Santo and Glenn Beckert, and Chicago dignitary Rev. Jesse Jackson.
The statue portrays Williams finishing his sweet left-handed swing.
Williams played 16 seasons with the Cubs from 1959-74, primarily in left field. He hit .290 with 426 home runs and 1,475 RBIs during his 18-year major league career.
"When they told me about the unveiling in Chicago, I thought this day couldn't come here fast enough," Williams said. "This is beyond a dream for a kid growing up in Whistler, Alabama."
Williams joined Banks as the only two Cubs players to be honored with a statue. Williams was inducted into the Hall Fame and had his No. 26 retired by the Cubs in 1987.
"This is two great honors. The first being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987 and now the second one, being honored with a statue," Williams said.
The statue is located outside the southeast entrance of Wrigley Field, on the corner of Sheffield Avenue and Addison Street.
Previously, a statue of late Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray was located in that spot. Caray's statue was moved and rededicated at Sheffield and Waveland Avenues last Wednesday."
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us:
"Billy Leo Williams (born June 15, 1938) is a retired American baseball left fielder who played sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs and two seasons for the Oakland Athletics. Williams was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1999, he was named a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
Williams was one of the best Cubs players. He was the 1961 National League (NL) Rookie of the Year and was an NL All-Star for six seasons with the Cubs. In 1970, he had a .322 batting average with 42 home runs and 129 runs batted in (RBIs), led the NL with 205 hits, and was the NL Most Valuable Player runner-up. In 1972, he won the NL batting title, hitting .333. Williams hit over 400 home runs in his career, including 30 or more in five seasons. He also hit over .300 in five seasons and had over 100 RBIs in three seasons.
Williams was a highly competitive player on Cubs teams that never reached the postseason. When he finally played in the postseason during the second to the last year of his career with the Athletics, the "A's" did not get to the World Series. In 1999, he was selected as a member of the Cubs All-Century Team."