Williams played baseball, basketball and football at Meridian High School in Meridian, Mississippi.
After graduating in 1934, he made his professional baseball debut for the Columbus/Cleveland Bengals of the East Dixie League in 1935, where he finished the season with a .338 batting average. In March 1936, he was sold to the Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association for Mays Copeland, Culley Rikard, Thomas Swayze and cash considerations. He was sent to the Chicks' Cotton States League affiliate the Greenville Bucks, where he batted .333 with 105 runs batted in. For the start of the 1937 season, Williams was optioned to the Meridian Scrappers of the Southeastern League. In August, he was recalled to Memphis after the Southeastern League season ended. He finished the year tied for the Southeastern League lead in hits, with 163. In December, he was transferred to the Savannah Indians in the South Atlantic League. He split 1938 with Savannah, Meridian and the Greenville Spinners before being returned to Savannah in August. In early August 1939, he was acquired by the Greenwood Crackers of the Cotton States League, but was granted his release on August 9 while suffering a foot injury.
On February 24, 1940, Williams signed with the Grand Forks Chiefs of the Northern League as a player-manager. After batting .320 and managing the club to the Northern League championship, he was sold to the Winnipeg Maroons in March 1941 where he was continued as player-manager. He also appeared as a pitcher 11 times, playing the position for the first time in his professional career.

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