Billy Conigliaro, First Player Drafted By Red Sox, Dies At 73
BOSTON (CBS) -- Billy Conigliaro, the first-ever draft pick by the Boston Red Sox, has died. The Swampscott High graduate passed away Wednesday at the age of 73.
Conigliaro, the younger brother of Tony Conigliaro, played in 347 major league games over his career, including 247 with the Red Sox from 1969-71. He won a World Series with the Oakland Athletics in 1973.
Conigliaro was born in Revere on August 15, 1947 and graduated from Swampscott High School in 1965. He was selected by the Red Sox with the fifth overall pick in Major League Baseball's inaugural First-Year Player Draft later that summer. He made his major league debut in 1969 and hit two home runs in his first career start.
Conigliaro shared the outfield with his older brother for the Red Sox in 1969 and 1970. His best season in Boston came in 1970, when Conigliaro appeared in 114 games and hit .271 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI. He played for Milwaukee in 1972 before joining the A's in 1973, when he battled back from a knee injury to help Oakland to a World Series title.
He helped to keep his brother's legacy alive by serving on the committee for the Tony Conigliaro Award, an annual honor given to a "Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Tony C." He served on the committee until 2020. Conigliaro is survived by his wife, Keisha.