Linscott, Bill (2002)
As a boy in the rural 1940’s environment of Maine, Billy Linscott grew up playing baseball. This was partly attributed to the culture of the times and, of at least equivalent importance, to the fact that Linscott’s father, Addison, was a baseball promoter in the Farmington area.
Although he was among the smaller boys on the block, Billy Linscott developed into an outstanding sandlot player – in the neighborhood, at Hippach Field and eventually with the “Hard Cider League All-Stars”, organized by John and Eddie Callahan.
Linscott’s high school years were divided between Farmington High School where he studied for two years and Phillips-Exeter Academy. In each of his three years at the preparatory school, Linscott won letters in football and baseball.
He also excelled in the classroom, receiving a James Bowdoin scholarship at Bowdoin College where he enrolled in the fall of 1954. Linscott played four seasons of baseball for the Polar Bears under coach “Deacon” Dan McFadden, batting over .300, serving as team captain in his senior year and earning selection to the All-Maine and the All-New England teams.
During the summers of his high school and college years, Linscott played shortstop in the Down East League with the Augusta Millionaires. He once led the league in hitting – no small achievement against competition that included future Major Leaguers Joey Jay, Harry Agganis, Haywood Sullivan and Ted Lepcio.
Upon graduation from Bowdoin in 1958, Linscott was signed by the Boston Red Sox. Sent to the minor leagues, Linscott’s first stop was Raleigh, N.C. Promoted to Allentown, Pa. For the 1958 season, Linscott batted .309.
In what was to be the final game of a brief professional career, Linscott hit a pair of doubles and two home runs. Recurring knee problems, which had plagued him despite several operations, prevented Linscott from returning to baseball in 1960.
While attending law school at Boston University, and still under contract to the Red Sox, Linscott worked out with the big league team at Fenway Park.
He was in the dugout, one of 10,454, on hand to watch the Baltimore-Boston game on September 28, 1960.
It was Ted Williams’ final game. Linscott saw the legendary slugger hit a home run off Jack Fisher on a 1-0 count in his last appearance at the plate.
Linscott’s baseball career brought him in contact with several personalities who stood out in baseball history: Sullivan became a part owner and general manager of the Red Sox; and Linscott’s first roommate in the minors was Tracy Stallard, who gave up home run number 61 to Roger Maris in 1961.
Linscott earned his law degree and became a practicing attorney in Bangor. He and his wife, Diane, had three children. Linscott died unexpectedly in 1988. He was 53.
Here is a photo of Bill Linscott with the Auburn Asas 1955