Billy Myers

Who was Billy Myers?

William Harrison Myers was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1935 through 1941 for the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs. Listed at 5' 8", 168 lb., Myers batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Enola, Pennsylvania. His younger brother, Lynn Myers, was also a major leaguer.

Myers hit .313 for Triple-A Columbus in 1934 before joining Cincinnati in 1935, to become the Reds starting shortstop for the next six seasons and served as their team captain. A valuable defensive player, he was recognized as a master of reading baserunners intents and picking up hit-and-run and stolen base signs from opposing teams.

In his rookie season, Myers hit .267 with 30 extra base hits and a .315 on-base percentage in 117 games. In 1937 was considered in the National League MVP vote, after hitting .251 and slugging .370 with a .328 OBP in 124 games. His most productive season came in 1939, when he posted career-numbers in games, runs, home runs and RBI, while hitting .281, also a career-high. He was included in the MVP vote for the second time and also appeared in the World Series against the Yankees. But Myers is best remembered for his game-winning sacrifice fly in Game 7 of the 1940 World Series against Detroit. During the 1939 and 1940 pennant-winning seasons, he was also a part of the Reds' "Jungle Club" infield and was nicknamed "Jaguar" by teammate Billy Werber.