Preserving the Rich History of Baseball in the Bahamas
Henry Hank Williams
Sandy Alomar Touches the Bag at Second Base to get Dodgers Len Gabrielson # 14 and Flip the Ball to First Baseman Gail Hopkins to get Ron Fairly #6 for the Twin Killer.
A Rookie in 1964 Henry or Hank, as he is known is the only 20 games winner in baseball in the Bahamas, he did it in 1972, he also won 15 games in 1973 both times
leading the league. Hank also won most strike out with 115 in 1972 and 109 strike outs 1973
Henry also pitched 6 years in the minor league of baseball,
starting in 1965 at the age of 18, in the Astros organization, then he went to the Pirates organization for the 1966 and 1967 season, then to the Dodgers, in 1968 to
1970, where he finish his pro baseball career, and in 1969 becoming the first Bahamian to pitch for a Major League team, in an spring training game right here in
Nassau, Bahamas against the Chicago White Sox, before a full house at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Center including the Country’s Prime Minister, Lyndan Pindling
and the first Bahamian Major League player Andre Rodgers. Henry came in the game in the ninth inning to get the save. the final score was Dodgers 3 White Sox 1
to get the Save.
From The Nassau Guardian and Bahamas Observer, Monday March 17th 1969:
Williams Given A Standing Ovation
Bahamian Henry Williams got a standing ovation from thousands of fan at the Sports Center Sunday when he made his way to the pitching mound to face the
Chicago White Sox in the top of the ninth.
Displaying a poise of confidence, the ex Bahamas Baseball Association performer had his work cut out as three left handed hitters came up to start the frame,
they were fleet-footed second baseman Sandy Alomar. left-fielder Carlos May and first sacker Gail Hopkins.
Alomar, who had a single in three previous trips, grounded out weakly to the first baseman on a 2-2 count, May, with a no ball one strike count, flied to right,
but clean-up man Hopkins, who two hits, one each off the previous Dodgers hurlers, lined Williams first pitch to right field for a hit.
That brought up White Sox third baseman Bill Melton, who had two doubles to his credit for the day, poured over a strike on the inside corner and Melton fouled off
the next pitch before popping up easily to third baseman Jim Lefebvre for the final out to end the game and give the Dodgers a 3-1 triumph over the White Sox.
Pandemonium broke loose as fans rushed onto the field to lift their local hero shoulder high back to the dugout, it marked the first time that a local Bahamian player
had ever participated in a major league baseball game on Bahamian soil.
Prior to the start of Sunday’s game Williams was presented with a gift by the first Bahamian major leaguer Andre Rodgers on behalf of the Bahamas Baseball
Association as a memento to the history making achievement.
Henry became the first Bahamian to pitch for Major
League Baseball team, and he did it in the Bahamas,
he got a chance to Pitch for the Los Angels Dodgers
in a spring training game in Nassau against the
Chicago White Sox March 1969.
The Only 20 Game Winning Pitcher in Bahamian Baseball History
What a Sunday treat for local baseball fans in Nassau,
a spring training major league game, the Los Angels
Dodgers against the Chicago White Sox March 15th &
16 th 1969 at the Queen Elizabeth Sport Center, it was
full house, that saw form local rookie of the year Hank
William pitch the ninth inning for Dodgers
here are a few game photos from the Nassau Guardian.