William Cecil Glenn Atkinson (born October 4, 1954) is a Canadian former professional baseball player and a former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher. The , (11 stone 11) right-hander was signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent on October 4, , and he played for them from to .
In , Atkinson's first professional season, he was assigned to the Short-Season Jamestown Falcons. He was 3âÂÂ3 with a 3.60 ERA in 19 games, all in relief.
Atkinson played for the Class-A West Palm Beach Expos in . He was 8âÂÂ7 with a 3.03 ERA in 35 games, 13 starts.
In Atkinson was promoted to the Double-A Quebec Carnavals. He compiled a record of 7âÂÂ8 with a 3.70 ERA in 33 games, 20 for starts.
Atkinson continued his climb through the Expos organization in . He was promoted to the Triple-A Memphis Blues where he compiled a record of 3âÂÂ4 with a 2.80 ERA with 5 saves in 49 games, three starts.
At the age of 21 Atkinson split the season between the Triple-A Denver Bears and Montreal. With Denver he was 6âÂÂ3 with a 3.99 ERA with 15 saves in 51 games, all in relief. Atkinson made his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 18 at Jarry Park Stadium. He entered game one of the doubleheader in the top of the fourth with Montreal trailing 4âÂÂ0, and he proceeded to pitch three scoreless innings of relief before being lifted for a pinch hitter. He had allowed three hits, struck out one, and walked no one. He finished the season pitching five scoreless innings in four games.
In Atkinson spent the entire season with the Expos. He went 7âÂÂ2 with a 3.35 ERA with seven in 55 games. Atkinson spent the entire '77 season with the Expos, the only time in his career this would be achieved.
Atkinson split the season between the Expos and the Bears. With the Expos he compiled a record of 2âÂÂ2 with a 4.37 ERA in 14 games. With the Bears he was 1âÂÂ3 with a dismal 7.41 ERA in 23 games.
In Atkinson's last season with the Expos organization, , he again split the season between the Bears and the Expos. With the Bears he was 9âÂÂ6 with a 4.14 ERA in 36 games, 23 starts. With the Expos he was 2âÂÂ0 with a 1.98 ERA in 10 games.
Atkinson was purchased by the Chicago White Sox on December 12, but never again reached the major league level.
With the Iowa Oaks in the he compiled a record of 3âÂÂ5 with a 4.60 ERA in 55 games, two starts.
In with the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers Atkinson went 8âÂÂ8 with a 5.48 ERA in 36 games, 16 starts.
His last two seasons were spent up and down the White Sox organization. In with the Double-A Glens Falls White Sox he went 6âÂÂ9 with a 2.85 ERA in 56 games, two starts. He split the season between the Class-A Appleton Foxes and the Triple-A Denver Bears going a combined 6âÂÂ5 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 games, five starts.
After retirement, he returned to Chatham and played senior baseball there until 1999.
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