1969-1971

The younger brother of Tony Conigliaro, Billy C. made his own reputation as a skilled athlete at Swampscott High School. He was a co-captain and starting halfback on the football team, and as a two-way baseball player, as a center fielder a pitcher.

Billy C. did his best to create his own headlines too, as a junior in high school. He tossed a no-hitter against Winthrop High School, striking out 13.

In 1965, Major League Baseball instituted the amateur draft that is still used today. The Red Sox had the fifth overall pick in the draft, and they made Billy C. their first-ever first-round pick.

He struggled at first with the Waterloo Hawks in 1965, but the Red Sox moved him up to AA Pittsfield in 1966. A stint in the U.S. military wiped out most of Billy C’s 1967 season, and he was assigned to Class-A Greenville to get back his baseball form. In 1968 he was assigned back to Pittsfield.

Billy C. would get his shot at the big leagues in 1969, and the Red Sox would indeed have two Conigliaros on the team, but it wasn’t the dream scenario that fans had imagined. Neither brother was expected to make the team. Tony C. said his damaged eye had healed, and he worked to regain his old job. Billy C. was ticketed to the higher minors, but he hit well in spring training and ended up on the Opening Day roster as well.

The 1969 Red Sox had a very crowded outfield. Yaz occupied left field, and Reggie Smith was the center fielder. Both Conigliaro brothers and Joe Lahoud shared right field. By the end of April, Billy C. had homered four times and carried a solid .313 batting average, but he had also struck out five times in his last seven at-bats and was sent down to AAA Louisville when the Red Sox acquired utility infielder Don Lock.

The Red Sox did bring Billy C. back in September and he became a starter in 1970. Yaz moved to first base, and Billy C. and Tony C. played left and right field, respectively, with Reggie Smith in center field.

Tony C. was traded to California after the season and Billy C. remained with the Sox as the left fielder and had another decent season in 1971.

However, the '71 Sox were a fractured team, and the headlines focused on the behind-the-scenes feuds. Yaz had been asked about Billy’s work in center field after a couple of fly balls fell for hits, costing the Red Sox a win and Yaz criticized him. Billy C. took it as an attack on him and unloaded on those people he felt were against him on the team.

It came as no surprise then, that the Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers pulled off a large trade in October. Billy C., Ken Brett, Joe Lahoud, Jim Lonborg, Don Pavletich and George Scott were all sent to the Brewers in exchange for Tommy Harper, Lew Krausse, Marty Pattin and minor-leaguer Pat Skrable.

In January of 1982, Tony C. was working as a sportscaster in San Francisco. He had flown to Boston to interview for a job. As Billy C. was driving him to Logan Airport, Tony suffered a massive heart attack. Billy sped to Massachusetts General Hospital and spent the next few weeks virtually living at the hospital, alongside his comatose brother.

Tony C. eventually awoke but was paralyzed and unable to speak much. Billy C. took care of his brother, brought in therapists and trainers for him, and battled Medicaid and the MLB Players’ Association on Tony’s behalf.

Billy C. spent the rest of his life ensuring his brother’s legacy. He pushed for the "Tony Conigliaro Award", which was started by the Red Sox in 1990. It is given to a “Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Tony C."

Billy Conigliaro died on February 10, 2021 at the age of 73.