AAP
He's the Wolfman Williams who is piloting a Sydney team all the way to the finals - but it's not the one you think.
While bearded NRL star David Williams is sweating it out in pre-season training with Manly, there's another athlete breaking records, winning games and trying to poach the Wolfman moniker.
Hirsute Sydney Blue Sox closing pitcher Matt Williams shattered the Australian Baseball League's single-season saves record with two weeks left in the regular season, only adding to his cult following.
Williams' rise in popularity is not unlike MLB closer Brian Wilson, whose bushy jet black beard gained him notoriety during San Francisco's World Series victory in 2010.
The facial hair that started through sheer laziness in September has spawned a fan club that attend Blue Sox home games in fake bears waving "fear the beard" banners.
"But (David Williams) is obviously the original Wolfman," Matt Williams told AAP.
"He's been around a little bit longer than I have. We should get him out here for a game, I'd love to get a photo with him.
"It started off out of laziness, but I've kept it around and now there are people floating around with the fake beards in the crowds - there were about 30 in the crowd last week."
Williams clocked up his 15th save of the year during last round's four-game sweep of the Melbourne Aces, which vaulted the Blue Sox into equal first place with their opponents this weekend the Canberra Cavalry.
It also moved him past Sydney teammate and Korean champion Koo Dae-Sung for the ABL saves record.
"It's always nice to break records like that," Williams said.
Top spot in the ABL could go on the line in Canberra this weekend with a four-game trip starting on Thursday, and Williams says the Blue Sox are filled with confidence following their recent rise up the ladder.
"Coming off a four-win series against Melbourne, who have a lot of good players including former major leaguers is obviously a great confidence booster," he said.
"And it's put us into first place, now we've got a bit of confidence and hopefully we can take that into the playoffs.
"The main thing is we go down and have a good weekend against Canberra, first of all to consolidate our playoff spot.
"This series is huge for us."
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