Marty Gordon | NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Abram Williams is Radford University’s all-time saves leader was inducted this week into the Amsterdam (New York) Mohawks’ Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League’s, (PGCBL), hall of fame.
The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League is a 13-team collegiate summer league founded in 2010 where college players are not paid while maintaining their college eligibility.
Each team plays an eight-week, 50 game schedule from June to August and is considered to be similar to the professional short season leagues.
Radford native Abram Williams spent the 2010 and 2011 summers in a Mohawks uniform, leading them to the 2010 PGCBL Championship and the finals in 2011, and will now be inducted into the league’s hall of fame.
“I am deeply honored to be on a list with so many other great baseball players, many of which I played with during my two seasons in New York. In my two seasons, in Amsterdam I played with 12 players that went on to be selected in the major league draft,” Williams said.
During the 2010 season, Williams led the Mohawks with a 0.39 ERA in 18 appearances, allowing only one earned run in 23.1 innings pitched. Williams yielded only two walks, while punching out 30 batters. The 2011 season saw Williams finish with 10 saves in 21 appearances, compiling a 2.42 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 22.1 innings pitched.
In the two summers, Williams finished with 59 strikeouts in 45.2 innings pitched, while allowing only seven earned runs for a 1.39 career ERA. Williams finished with 21 saves during his time in a Mohawk uniform.
“My two summers in Amsterdam was a great experience, and I loved every minute of it. I had the opportunity to play in Cooperstown at Double Day Park, both seasons I played on the league’s All-star team and was able to meet the original Tommy John as he threw out the first pitch in the 2011 All-star game,” Williams said.
One of the most memorable moments for him was in 2010 when Amsterdam won the league championship.
Williams credits his time at both Radford High School and Radford University as helping to reach this lofty goal.
“I think the early beginnings at Radford High School were truly what helped me succeed at the next level. When I was in the sixth grade, I went up to the old high school baseball field (the rock) while the jayvee team was practicing, I only intended on watching but the coach at the time, Darden Freeman, invited me to practice with them,” he said.
“That soon turned into to me practicing with the varsity. It may not seem like much but Coach Freeman taking the time to let a sixth grader practice with varsity sparked a drive and a work ethic inside me for baseball that helped led me to Division 1 baseball, along with having a father and mother that were very supportive, and that’s something I’ll never forget.”
Williams said that continuing his career in Radford was a great experience.
“Being able to be Joe Raccuia’s very first recruit at RU was special and I didn’t want to let him down, or my hometown. Joe is the type of coach that teaches you how to win. As a true freshman, coach told me that when a closing situation comes up—you’re our guy. I wasn’t always a closer at RU but that first season taught me how to close out a gam. It taught me that the mentality is completely different than being a starting pitcher or middle relief. If it wasn’t for that first year, I don’t think I would have had as much success in a closing role later on,” he said.
Williams still remains in RU’s top 10 for career earned run average at 4.73 in 116 innings of work, holding opponents to a batting average of .252. All of this is after having Tommy John surgery in 2008.
Williams joins former major leaguer Roger Bowman and current Mohawks head coach Keith Griffin in the 2017 class. Griffin coached Williams during his two summers in Amsterdam as Griffin has led the Mohawks to six New York Collegiate Baseball League/PGCBL titles.
“Being recognized with these guys is truly an honor. I’m also being inducted this year with the coach I played for while I was there. The guy is a legend, and unbelievable coach and mentor I don’t think anyone on earth wants to win more than Keith Griffin except, maybe Donald Trump,” Williams said.
Current members of the Amsterdam Hall of Fame include Mel Rojas Jr., Mark Leiter Jr., Rick Pacione (current big league bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians) and Luke Maile (currently on Tampa’s major league roster).