Brownwood’s new professional basketball team, the Brownwood Brigade, has selected Walter Allen Williams as its head coach.

Williams was born on December 19, 1943 in Brownwood, Texas and is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was signed by the Houston Colt .45s before the 1963 season, and played for them in 1964, the Chicago White Sox from 1967 to 1972, the Cleveland Indians in 1973, and the New York Yankees from 1974 to 1975. He also played in Japan for the Nippon Ham Fighters from 1976 to 1977.

According to Wikipedia, Williams was a good defensive outfielder, committing just 19 errors in 565 games for a fielding percentage of .981. He was also used often as a pinch-hitter, and sometimes as a designated hitter late in his career.

Aaron-Lee Adams, part owner of the Brigade, said via email, “We are very glad to have him as our head coach.  He has been involved in the Brownwood community for many years which will help us fulfill our mission, and will be a great addition to the Brownwood Brigade Professional Basketball Team.”

The Brownwood Brigade is a part of the Texas Professional Basketball League (TPBL) which consists of about 10 teams from around the state like the San Angelo Chaparrals, Midland Heat, and the Houston Blaze just to name a few.

The 10th season of TPBL basketball tips off in January 2010.