He was “Big Hurt” before “Big Hurt.” And Hank Aaron called him the toughest justice in the National League he’s ever faced.
Former major league pitcher and pitching coach Stan Williams passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 84 at his home in Laughlin, Nev. Williams was hospitalized on February 11 and in hospice care due to the effects of cardiopulmonary disease.
Williams, who earned the pseudonym “Big Hurt” by intimidating the fast-paced inside balls that were known to hit the occasional hitter, was a tough right-hander who threw in the Majors from 1958-72. Hall of Fame slugger Frank Thomas will later be nicknamed, although the pain he caused was on baseball.
Williams made his MLB debut in the inaugural season of the Los Angeles Dodgers after their move to Brooklyn, and soon became a staple in a rotation that also featured Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Johnny Podres.
First reliever in 1959, Williams helped the Dodgers win their first World Series in Los Angeles, defeating the White Sox in six games. His best season as a Dodger came in the ’60s, when he posted an ERA of 3.00 over 207 1/3 innings and was named NL All-Star.
The Dodgers traded Williams to the Yankees for Bill “Moose” Skowron following the ’62 campaign. Williams spent two seasons with New York before playing for the 1965-69 Indians. Cleveland traded him with the Twins before the ’70s season, and Williams continued to post a 1.99 ERA over 68 relief appearances. However, his stay in Minnesota was short-lived, as the twins changed him during the ’71 season to cardinals. He played in three games for the Red Sox in ’72, his last season as a player.
Williams finished his career as a player with a record of 109-94 and an ERA of 3.48. He would become a pitching coach, scout and advisor to several clubs and was the pitching coach of the Reds when Cincinnati won the 1990 World Series against highly favored athletics. He was also a pitching coach for the Red Sox and Yankees.
Williams is survived by his daughter Shawn, son Stan Jr., brother Jim, three grandchildren and several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.