Major League Baseball Player. Known as “Big Bill,” he played Major League baseball as first baseman for three seasons (1906, 1909 to 1910) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Browns. A career minor leaguer who never could permanently break into the Major League (he was considered a top first baseman when he played for the 1907 Providence Clam Diggers of the Eastern League), he played eight games for the Pirates in 1906, was sent to the minors, and did not return to the Majors until his callup in 1909. That year, his only full one in the Majors, he batted .260 as he helped the Pirates to the World Series, where he played in all seven games of the Pirates (4 games to 3) win over the Detroit Tigers. He was sent to his hometown Browns after the Series, and he played in only 25 games with them–his last games as a major league player. His career totals were 170 games played, 150 hits and a .242 batting average. (bio by: Connie Nisinger)  Family links:  Spouse:  Helen Hunt Abstein (1895 – 1963)*  Children:  William G Abstein (1923 – 1939)* *Calculated relationship