Billy Conigliaro

Who is Billy Conigliaro?

William Michael Conigliaro is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played in the American League for the Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics. He is the younger brother of Tony Conigliaro; Billy and Tony were Red Sox teammates in 1969 and 1970.

Conigliaro showed great promise as a hitter in his years in Boston, with 16 doubles and 18 home runs in 1970, and 26 doubles and 11 home runs in 1971. He finished 8th in the American League in doubles in 1971, his most productive year in the majors. In 1970, he was 10th in American League in being hit by pitches with 7. His most memorable game may have been on July 4, 1970, when both Billy and Tony homered against the Cleveland Indians.

After the 1971 season, Billy was traded from the Red Sox to the Brewers in a blockbuster deal that also included Ken Brett, Jim Lonborg, George Scott, Tommy Harper and Marty Pattin. Billy, who idolized his older brother Tony, had been highly critical of the Red Sox for trading his brother to the Angels, especially after Tony's remarkable 36 home runs during the 1970 season after his famous "beaning" incident in 1967.