Soft-spoken Billy Williams let his bat do the talking for 18 seasons. His picture-perfect swing produced 2,711 hits, a.290 career average and 426 home runs. The six-time all-star was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1961 and the “Sporting News” Player of the Year in 1972, when he led the league with a .333 batting average while also hitting 37 home runs and driving in 122 runs. He held the National League mark for consecutive games played (1,117) until surpassed by Steve Garvey.