September 27th 2023.
Whether you're a history buff, sports fan, or just appreciate stories of courage and inspiration, legendary umpire Art Williams is a name you should know. Over the past fifty years, Art's incredible story has come to light and been honored with several awards. A related news segment won a Daytime Emmy Award, the book Unbelievable! The Life Journey of Art Williams was awarded four distinct awards in four different literary categories, and the associated documentary short has been selected for twenty-five film festivals in the United States and abroad. To top it off, September 18 was officially proclaimed Art Williams Day in the city of Bakersfield, California.
Art was born in Arkansas to a family of sharecroppers and relocated to California after high school. He was signed to the Detroit Tigers organization and began his pitching career, but it was cut short due to an injury. Despite this setback, Art kept pushing forward and eventually achieved his goal of becoming the First Black Umpire in the National League when he officiated the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres on September 18, 1972. This preceded Emmett Ashford's American League debut by six years and the American and National Leagues' unification under the Major League Baseball umbrella in 2000 by twenty-eight years.
Since Art and Emmett's groundbreaking accomplishments, only nine other African Americans have become Major League Baseball umpires. Art passed away in 1979 at 44, but his younger brother, 82-year-old Dr. Audie Williams, is doing everything he can to keep his memory alive. Through his company, Let's Play Ball! Productions, he's sharing Art's story, promoting representation in baseball and beyond, and inspiring anyone with a dream to keep striving, no matter the obstacles.
Mookie Betts, Dodgers outfielder and second baseman, is also an advocate for diversity in the game. He believes in bringing culture to baseball and providing opportunities for everyone to be successful. "The goal I set out to accomplish is getting blacks in baseball, not necessarily on the field, but just around the field and maybe in the front office," he said. "All of us have talents, and it's important for us to find it. I found mine in baseball, and I want to use my platform to help others find theirs."
On this and every September 18, take a moment to commemorate Art Williams and his historic accomplishments. Then dedicate some time and attention to setting goals, nurturing your talents, sharing your gifts with the world, and encouraging others to do the same.
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