GM Williams 'proud' to be part of history.(Sports)

0 Comments | Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL), October, 2000 | by Gregor, Scot

Kenny Williams knew the question was coming Wednesday. Finally, he was asked about being a black general manager in the major leagues. Skin color might be irrelevant on the playing fields in today's game, but when Williams was promoted by the White Sox after Ron Schueler stepped down, he became baseball's first black GM since Bob Watson was fired by the Yankees in 1998.

"There has to be an opening, and there are only 30 openings out there," Williams said. "This is something where you have to wait for the opening and hope that people are open-minded enough to give you a shot." Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gave Jerry Manuel a shot prior to the 1998 season, and he should be the American League's consensus manager of the year for 2000. Now, Williams and Manuel...