Ron Willis

Ronald Earl Willis (July 12, 1943 – November 21, 1977) was a professional baseball player. He was a pitcher over parts of five seasons (1966–1970) with the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres. Willis was a member of the 1967 World Series champion Cardinals. He was dealt from the Cardinals to the Padres for Bobby Etheridge before the trade deadline on June 15, 1970. For his career he compiled an 11–12 record with a 3.32 earned run average and 128 strikeouts in 188 appearances, all as a relief pitcher.

In 238.1 innings of work, he handled 80 chances (24 putouts, 56 assists) without an error for a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Willis was born in Willisville, near Newbern, Tennessee, and later died in Memphis at the age of 34 from a brain tumor.