STEVE WILLIAMS: A TIGER, AN INDIAN, A CAP, A PRO, A TIGER AGAIN

Steve Williams is Cape Girardeau's version of Mr. Baseball.

First, he played baseball at Cape Central and with the American Legion team. Then, he played at Southeast Missouri State while also playing for the Capahas.

After he finished a stint in the Philadelphia Phillies' Triple-A organization, he returned to Central to coach, you guessed it, baseball.

Williams excelled at all levels of competition.

During his high school years, he was an integral part of a state basketball championship team, a part of three state football qualifiers and led the baseball team two a second place finish at state.

His smooth left-handed stroke drew attention from professional baseball scouts while in high school.

Also in high school, he played tight end and was Central's kicker on the football team. He also was a kicker and punter at Southeast Missouri State and holds the Southeast record in best punting average in a game at 56 yards.

He is Southeast's all-time leader in home runs (52) and runs batted in (167).

The big, powerful left-handed catcher just missed being called up to the Major Leagues. The Phillies signed Williams when he was playing with the Capahas at the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan. He played three years in the minors before being released in 1988.

In 1989, Williams returned to his high school alma mater as physical education teacher, assistant football coach and head baseball coach.

As a coach, he guided Cape Central to a baseball state championship in 1994.