Bill Wilson (pitcher)

William Harlan Wilson (September 19, 1942 – August 11, 1993) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in 179 games over all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1969 to 1973. He was born in Pomeroy, Ohio and attended Pomeroy High School, and then attended Marshall University. A pitcher, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (88 kg).

Wilson's pro career lasted for 13 years, 1962–1974, all in the Philadelphia organization. He spent seven seasons in the minor leagues before making the Phillies' roster at the outset of the 1969 campaign. Pitching for Phillie teams that averaged 94 losses per season over Wilson's tenure, he compiled a 9–15 won–lost record with 17 career saves and a 4.22 earned run average in the majors. In 258 total innings pitched, Wilson allowed 229 hits and 131 bases on balls, with 171 strikeouts. All of his 179 major league games came as a relief pitcher, but Wilson also played for one-third of an inning as a third baseman as part of a one-batter defensive substitution strategy by Phils' manager Frank Lucchesi during a game in August of 1971.