 On March 24, 1929, Williams was returning to Portland, Oregon from spring training in San Diego with his Portland Beavers teammates when he was killed in an automobile accident.Two other players, Mack Hillis and Yats Wuestling, who were also in the vehicle were seriously injured.In total, six Beavers players were making the trip when their vehicle was hit by another causing them to veer off into an embankment.