Time for Reflection

A fascinating look back at the incredible lives and careers of Willie McCovey and Billy Williams, part of the second generation of Black ballplayers who followed in the footsteps of Jackie Robinson.

Professional baseball has featured a bevy of superstars over the past century and a half, but only a few of them have impacted their sport and cities as deeply as Willie McCovey and Billy Williams. Born just a handful of miles apart in 1938, they grew up playing baseball in and around one of the sport’s true cradles, Mobile, Alabama, on their way to producing two iconic careers in the major leagues.

In A Time for Reflection: The Parallel Legacies of Baseball Icons Willie McCovey and Billy Williams, Jason Cannon weaves together the stories of McCovey and Williams to provide an up close and personal perspective of their lives and Hall of Fame careers. Often overshadowed by their teams’ superstars, these two players, through hard work and strength of character, overcame difficult times, formidable obstacles, and hideous racism to become two of baseball’s best. Their leadership and dedication to their clubs—McCovey spent 19 of his seasons playing for the San Francisco Giants and Williams played 16 seasons for the Chicago Cubs—made them beloved by fans and teammates alike.

Featuring original interviews with family members, friends, teammates, and Williams himself, A Time for Reflection brings to life their monumental accomplishments on the diamond while also detailing how these two legends grew into pillars of San Francisco and Chicago and inspired future generations of ballplayers.