Ricky Williams ‘strongly considered’ switching to baseball after second NFL season

As an alternative of “Run Ricky” Run, it was virtually “Hit Ricky Hit.”

Ricky Williams’ childhood ardour was baseball and he almost made the swap after getting drafted into the NFL fifth general by the Saints in 1999, he instructed Audacy’s “The Bradfo Sho.”

“Rising up, that was my dream, to be knowledgeable baseball participant. I grew up in San Diego. I watched Tony Gwynn. Dwelling of Ted Williams. I believed that was my future,” stated Williams, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner. “Once I was 13, I began watching Notre Dame soccer. I used to be like, ‘Wow. I gotta have the faculty soccer expertise.’ Once I was drafted by the Phillies, after I was being recruited, I instructed all of the baseball scouts, ‘I’m taking part in baseball, however I must play school soccer too.’ All of them knew. In soccer, I instructed all the universities, ‘I’m coming to play soccer, however I’m a baseball participant.’

“Went to Texas and was taking part in minor league baseball on the similar time. I used to be significantly better at soccer. There was simply rather more alternative. I nonetheless wished to play each, however after I bought drafted, the Saints stated, ‘You’ve bought to decide on.’ So, I selected.”

Saints
Ricky Williams taking part in for the Saints in 2001.
AP

Williams missed 10 video games in his first two years within the NFL, which gave him pause about soccer. He reached out to a former baseball coach.

“Began taking batting follow once more. Reached out to the Rangers and actually strongly thought of making the swap,” Williams stated. “My first yr [with the Saints] I missed 4 video games due to an harm. My second yr, I missed six video games due to an harm. I used to be pondering, ‘Possibly I must play a sport that’s not so tough.'”

Ultimately, he made the appropriate selection, taking part in 11 seasons within the league with the Saints, Dolphins and Ravens. Williams completed his profession with 10,009 speeding yards and 66 touchdowns. He hit .211 mixed over 4 seasons in rookie or Class A ball within the minor leagues with a .520 OPS.

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