Jimy Williams, who spent parts of three decades as a major-league coach and manager, died on Friday at the age of 80 in Florida after a brief illness.
Williams spent 12 seasons as a major-league manager for the Blue Jays (1986-89), Red Sox (1997-2001) and Astros (2002-04), winning American League Manager of the Year for Boston in 1999.
Williams had a brief big-league career as an infielder, appearing in 14 games for the Cardinals (1966-67) while spending several years in the minors playing for the Red Sox (1965), Cardinals (1966-67), Reds (1968), Expos (1969-71) and Mets (1971). Williams managed minor-league teams from 1974-79 and was a coach for the Blue Jays before serving as Blue Jays manager for four seasons.
After he was fired by Toronto, Williams served as a coach from 1991-96 with the Atlanta Braves under Bobby Cox, winning a World Series in 1995. Williams took over the Red Sox manager job in 1997 and in five seasons led the club to a 414-352 (.540) record, which ranks eighth on the franchise’s all-time managerial games and wins lists. Following a 78-84 (.481) record in his first season in Boston, he led the Red Sox to back-to-back postseason berths in 1998 and 1999. Williams finished second in AL Manager of the Year voting in 1998 before winning the award in 1999, when the Red Sox won 95 games and won the American League Division Series over Cleveland.
After three seasons managing the Astros, Williams served as the Phillies bench coach from 2007-08, including during the Phillies 2008 World Series championship season.
Williams is survived by his wife of 47 years, Peggy, as well as his sons, Shawn and Brady, his daughters, Monica Farr and Jenna Williams, and his eight grandchildren. Both of his sons have made careers coaching in the game. Brady was a longtime Rays’ minor-league manager who is currently the team’s major-league third base coach, while Shawn is a longtime manager in the Phillies’ system.
(Top photo of Williams at spring training with Boston in 2000: Jim Mone / Associated Press)
This article was originally published by a theathletic.com . Read the Original article here. .