USD Magazine, Summer 1995

typical baseball player the size of Larry Williams '95 is a speedy base stealer who

The movie, Williams and Alfre Woodard, who played Mary Thomas, each were nominated for Emmy Awards following the 1990 airing. Coming from many Hollywood types, the words might sound cliche, but when Williams says, "Just being nominated, that was really enough," he is nothing but sincere. The best supporting actor Emmy went to someone else, but Woodard won for best actress and the movie won for best television drama. When it came time to start college, Williams says the decision to concentrate on basebatl was easy. After all, his career goal is to play major league ball. USD appealed to Williams, who was looking for a strong academic university plus a team that could promise him a spot on the roster his freshman year. The playing time proved profitable for Williams, who has been watched seriously by scouts since last year's draft. He is, however, careful to be realistic about the future. To do that, Williams looks to lessons he learned as an actor. "I never let acting get to me; that's why I was so successful," Williams says. "If I didn't get a role, I didn't worry about it." He looks at baseball that way now too, and says with confidence that if his career as a center fielder ends with graduation, he'll move on to other challenges. If the big leagues don't come calling, the communications major has lined up a position with a public rela– tions firm that works with actors. Either way, Williams is at the top of his game.

doesn' t hit for power. In his four-year career at USO, Williams has been any– thing but a typical 5-foot-9-inch center fielder. Hitting in the No. 5 spot, Williams ranks third on the Toreros all-time list for home runs and consistently held one of the team's top batting averages through his final season. "I'm not extremely fast, but I'm going to steal some bases for you, make some diving catches, throw someone out and make some runs," Williams says. "I've always strived to be a well-rounded player. "I can't change my physical size and I can't dramatically change my speed, but what I can control is my performance on the field." The foundation for Williams' baseball career was laid on the diamonds of his Los Angeles neighborhood as soon as he was old enough to join a tee-ball league. It was about the same time, at 6 years old, that Williams began a different type of performing. While waiting in the lobby of his older brother's acting agent, Williams was asked if he'd like to try acting too. He flashed a gleaming smile and said, "Sure." Two weeks later Williams was cast for a speaking part in the television series "Trapper John, M.D." Williams rejected acting classes for baseball practice but continued to land parts in dramatic and comedic roles as well as national commercials. He says he was never intimidated by Hollywood, partly because he was so familiar with

the television lineup of the late '70s and early '80s. "I thought acting would be easy because I watched so much TV when I was a kid," he recalls. Baseball helped the young actor to remain a kid in an adult world, Williams says, adding that he was lucky to find an agent who respected that baseball prac– tice took precedence over an audition. At 13, Williams landed a part in the syndicated sitcom "Bustin' Loose" and worked alongside veteran actor Jimmy Walker. It was there that Williams honed his comedic skills while playing a legally blind orphan who lived with an ex-convict. "Jimmy Walker took me under his wing," Williams says. "He's the one that really taught me about timing and comedic pause and stage presence." Several years later, during his first season on the varsity football team at St. Bernard's High School, Williams won the role of basketball star Isiah Thomas in the made-for-TV movie "The Mary Thomas Story." This time athletics were put on hold for two months of filming in Chicago. The compelling movie told of Mary Thomas' struggle to raise her six chil– dren - including future basketball star Isiah - while on welfare and keep them off the Chicago streets during a time when gangs were gaining prominence.

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