Jimy Williams, the Philadelphia Phillies’ bench coach for the 2008 World Series title team, died on Friday, January 26. He was born on October 4, 1943, and died at the age of 80.
Following the announcement, the team issued a statement on X, formerly Twitter, expressing condolences to his family, particularly his son Shawn, who works in the Phillies’ player development department.
Williams joined the Phillies as a bench coach following the 2006 season. With portions of 12 seasons of MLB managerial experience, he was crucial to skipper Charlie Manuel during the 2007 and 2008 seasons, which culminated in the franchise’s second World Series title.
The team finished first in the NL East both seasons with Williams on the bench, with a total record of 181-143, until he decided not to return for 2009.
Williams’ major league debut came with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967. He played in only 14 games before moving on to the Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos organizations, but he never returned to the major leagues.
Williams’ Managing Career
Williams’ first Major League Baseball coaching post came in 1980 as the Toronto Blue Jays’ third base coach, where he served for six seasons before becoming manager in 1986. He was removed of his duties in 1989, having finished his tenure in Toronto with a 281-241 record.
He joined the Atlanta Braves as third base coach in 1991 and won the World Series in 1995 before resigning to become manager of the Boston Red Sox in 1996. He led the Sox to two postseason appearances and was voted AL Manager of the Year in 1999. He was sacked in 2001 and finished his Boston career with a 414-352 record.
Williams’ final managerial position came in Houston, where he led the Astros from 2002 until his firing during the 2004 season, compiling a 215-197 record and placing second in the NL Central two years in a row.
His final record as an MLB manager was 910-790 in 1,700 games, good for a.535 winning percentage.
Williams will be missed by the whole MLB and Phillies fan base, and we at That Ball’s Outta Here extend our condolences to his family.
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