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Statewide success: Eric Williams starred in KC, later for NFL’s Cardinals

Eric Williams standing-jpg

He was introduced to organized football at a Kansas City Boys Club on 43rd street in the 1960s. That is, despite his mom’s fears of an injury, which were understandable, given Eric Williams was basically 5-foot-nothing, 100-and-nothing.

By the time he graduated high school, he was a 6-foot-2, 225-pound wrecking ball.

“I always played in the street, and I always played with the older guys,” Williams said. “That’s how I got my toughness. They kind of knocked me around a little bit.”

Williams’ path now leads to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, which is proud to induct Williams among its Class of 2016. Enshrinement Ceremonies presented by Killian Construction are Sunday, January 31 in Springfield. (For tickets, call 417-889-3100, and see information below.)

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Williams emerged as a star linebacker at Kansas City’s Central High School, earning a scholarship at tradition-rich Southern California, and found his way to the National Football League. He played eight seasons, including five with the St. Louis Cardinals.

His story is one of a player who overcame the odds. Of losing his father at a young age. Of soldiering on despite a heart murmur. And of finding a father figure in his high school coach who never let him quit.

Overall, Williams was among the first Central graduates to earn an athletic scholarship as he also earned All-City. He then spent four seasons with Southern Cal and renowned coach John Robinson, playing a key role in the Trojans’ 11-1 season his senior year of 1976. He led the team in tackles (126) that season and made the key stop against Michigan to seal USC’s 1977 Rose Bowl victory.

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From there, Williams was an eighth-round draft pick in 1977. He played 70 games overall for St. Louis on teams that included Dan Dierdorf, Jim Hart, Mel Gray and Roger Wehrli. He reunited with Robinson by joining the Los Angeles Rams in 1982 and 1983 and played his final NFL season with the San Diego Chargers in 1984. He then hung up his cleats in 1985 after playing for the Arizona Outlaws of the United States Football League.

“When I was in the fourth grade, I told my mom I wanted to be a professional football player,” Williams said. “I just watched it on TV, and I had a cousin who lived down the street and they showed his high school football games on TV. He went to Langston University. I said, ‘I could do that.’”

Little did Williams know that his football career would blossom in high school, and for two reasons: For one, his body grew. Just as important was Charlie Lee, the football coach at Central.

Lee not only moved Williams off running back to linebacker but readied his young pupil academically for college. More so, it was Lee who implored Williams not to leave Southern Cal after Williams grew frustrated during his freshman year, when he did not start ahead of smaller linebackers.

“My high school coach is everything to me,” Williams said of Lee. “I bet he’s sent 25 to 30 guys to colleges from an all-black high school. He was a father figure to us all. If we didn’t get good grades, we had to speak to Charlie Lee. You didn’t want an F. And he always told us how there was a better life out there.”

Eric Williams celebrates with USC coach John Robinson.
Eric Williams celebrates with USC coach John Robinson.

At USC, Williams was a key player his junior season and, as a senior, was a team captain and the MVP of the defense. The 1976 team saw 13 players selected in the NFL draft, including three of the first five picks. Williams credits linebacker coach Don Lindsay for setting the stage for his NFL career.

“He’s the one that believed in me at USC. He taught me and coached me well when I got drafted by the St. Louis football Cardinals,” Williams said. “I had the skills. We were already covering backs out of the backfield. I knew how to handle linemen.”

Playing in USC’s 3-4 defense also fit well in his time in St. Louis, as Williams played 14 games his rookie year and started 10 as he covered for an injured outside linebacker. He may have won NFL Rookie of the Year if not for Dallas’ Tony Dorsett.

His 1983 Rams reached the playoffs, beat Dallas but lost to Washington.

“Who was the best running back I ever played against? I’d have to say Walter Payton,” Williams said. “You’d try to kill him and he’d say, ‘God bless you.’ He was tough to tackle and he ran hard.”

Williams proved there more to life than football. He and his bride, Debbie, have raised sons J.V. and Nick in St. Louis, where Williams spent 30 years with United Parcel Service. Still, he looks at old photos from time to time and marvels that he lived his dream.

“I look at pictures and memorabilia and see the things I did and I’m like, ‘Wow,’” Williams said.

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Enshrinement Ceremonies 2016 presented by Killian Construction

What: Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Enshrinement

When: 11 a.m. reception presented by Meeks The Builder’s Choice at the Hall of Fame, 3861 E. Stan Musial Drive; 4 p.m. reception & 5 p.m. dinner & event on Jan. 31

Where: University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center

Missouri Sports Legend: University of Central Missouri athletic director Jerry Hughes

Class of 2016: Mizzou Tigers football coach Gary Pinkel; former big-league pitcher Jerry Reuss, longtime NFL coach Gregg Williams, Springfield native and retired PBR bull rider L.J. Jenkins, Kansas City Chiefs center Tim Grunhard, St. Joseph native and Olympic gymnastics silver medalist Terin Humphrey, Kansas City native and St. Louis Cardinals linebacker Eric Williams, longtime Kansas City Royals scouting director Art Stewart, Evangel University men’s basketball coach Steve Jenkins, West Plains native and former Texas Christian University baseball coach Lance Brown, former University of Missouri and Olympic track and field standout Natasha Kaiser-Brown, Missouri Southern men’s basketball coach Robert Corn, St. Louis University High School racquetball coach Joe Koestner, Missouri State University sports information director Mark Stillwell, John Burroughs High School football coach Jim Lemen, The John Burroughs School football program and the Mizzou Tigers’ 1966 Sugar Bowl team. The John Q. Founder’s Award will go to Med-Pay, Inc., owned by Gordon and Marshall Kinne, and Ken Meyer of Meyer Communications is the recipient of the President’s Award.

For Tickets, call 417-889-3100. Individual tickets are $150. Tables of 10 are $1,500 and include associate sponsor recognition in the printed program and autographed prints. Sponsorship opportunities such as congratulatory ads also are available.