MSBL Veteran Elgin Williams Passes Away at 74

Submitted by Friend and Teammate Nick Marnell

Longtime Vallejo, California, resident Elgin Williams, 74, passed away on June 21, 2025.  Elgin was a member of the Tri-Valley and Redwood Empire MSBL affiliates.

Born in Mississippi about an hour outside of Jackson, Elgin was raised in Vallejo and played baseball for the Vallejo High School Apaches, where he was a first-team, All-League center fielder.

“He’d have me go up to the school with him every day and throw him batting practice,” said his younger brother Stan, who cherished those moments. “Elgin was the best brother anyone could ever have. He put everyone before himself.”

Though Elgin never married, he was never short of family. He took in nieces and nephews, and anyone who needed a place to stay or to just hang out. When family friend Cheryl Holland was between jobs, Elgin let her stay at his place until she found work.

“Elgin was down to earth and very friendly,” said his good friend and ballplayer Jesus Williams. “He’d do anything for you.”

Elgin’s youngest brother Rudy, spoke with pride about another example of Elgin’s caring and generosity.

“When I graduated from high school, he bought me a suit of clothes to wear to the ceremony,” Rudy said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better brother.”

Elgin was drafted by the California Angels out of high school, but he eschewed professional baseball to further his education. He attended Solano Community College and Chico State, where he played baseball and was voted the team’s most valuable player three out of his four college seasons.

The San Francisco Giants signed Elgin as a free agent, and he played two years of Single-A ball in Great Falls, Montana, once again being voted team MVP. On that team were future Giants Jack Clark, Johnnie LeMaster, and Pete Falcone.

Charlie Polk, who lives in Riverside and still plays in Men’s Senior Baseball League tournaments, was another one of Elgin’s Great Falls teammates.

“I’d never seen the dude get mad. Nothing ever bothered him. ‘Screaming and yelling isn’t going to change what happened,’ he once told me. I was the happiest person in the world to meet someone like Elgin.”

Elgin spent his business career in IT, working mostly as a programmer. But he still found time for sports, playing fast pitch softball and later joining the NorCal Old Timers Association, an independent baseball league. He played 10 years for the association and was elected to its Hall of Fame.

At age 55, Elgin began his career with the Tri-Valley MSBL. From 2012 through 2024, his batting average was an astonishing .524.

“I knew Elgin for more than 30 years, and played with and against him in league play and with him in many tournaments,” said his manager Denny Brown during Elgin’s induction to the Tri-Valley Hall of Fame.  “Elgin was quiet. Super quiet. While some guys toot their own horn, Elgin just went about quietly being a great ballplayer.”

Elgin also played three years with the Pioneers of the Redwood Empire MSBL. “To watch Elgin on the ball field, with his smooth and unparalleled confidence, was uplifting,” said manager Nick Marnell. “But even more uplifting was his easy demeanor, and the joy and happiness he brought to every game.”

Even as Elgin’s health declined, the joy and happiness remained.

“He had a great spirit,” said his good friend and fellow ballplayer Wil Hubert. “As bad as things got near the end, he always maintained that great spirit.”

Elgin had a huge heart and a beautiful personality. His passing has left a major void with all of those who knew him. We will remember Elgin forever as a wonderful human being, a dominating ballplayer, and as one of the legends of our game.

All of us in the Bay Area Men’s Senior Baseball Leagues share our condolences with Elgin’s family members, friends, and fellow ballplayers.

2 Timothy 4:7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.