He completed his degree at Howard College, then decided to return to baseball and spent two years in the minor leagues for the White Sox.

The Advocate considered him "lanky" for a baseball pitcher, but Worthington caught the eye of Birmingham railroad employee Dickey Martin while pitching against a local team in 1951.

Martin recommended Worthington to his friend Larry Gilbert, manager of the Nashville Volunteers of the Double-A Southern Association, who signed the Alabama pitcher to a $1,500 contract in 1951.

[4] In April 1953, the New York Giants purchased Worthington's contract and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate, the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association (AA), where he had a 9–5 record and a 2.90 ERA.

[5] He would go on to lose eight straight decisions, however, before picking up a win on September 19, allowing one run in 8+1⁄3 innings pitched in the first game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

[10] Worthington failed to make the Giants' roster out of spring training in 1954, but he was the top pitcher at Minneapolis, posting an 11–7 record, a 4.32 ERA, and 93 strikeouts in 152 innings pitched for the Millers through July 29.

[10] In 1958, the Giants moved to San Francisco; Worthington started the fourth game of the year for the ballclub, then worked out of the bullpen after that.

[10] Worthington held out during 1959 spring training hoping for a salary raise, which he was granted, but he was pitching for the Giants again by the time they played their first game.

"I told Bill that I had been talking to church groups, telling people you don't have to lie or cheat in this world if you trust Jesus Christ," said Worthington.

[10] The Red Sox planned to use him as a relief pitcher but sent him to their Triple-A team (which happened to be the Millers) in early May after he posted a 7.71 ERA in six games.

"[1] At Minneapolis, Worthington had what Bill Nowlin of the Society for American Baseball Research called an "excellent" 2.04 ERA, posting an 11–9 record and striking out 100 over 150 innings pitched in 37 games (11 starts).

"[2] Returning to Birmingham, Worthington enrolled at Howard College in the fall of 1960, hoping to finish his degree and pursue a coaching career.

His 15 wins tied with Frank Kreutzer's total for third, his .789 winning percentage led the league, his 2.94 ERA was second to Connie Grob's 2.86 mark (among pitchers who threw at least 150 innings), his three shutouts were tied with Kreutzer and Gary Peters for second, his 217 innings pitched ranked third, and his 149 strikeouts were two behind Chi-Chi Olivo's total.

[32] A part of Cincinnati's bullpen in 1963, he made his first appearance in the major leagues in three years on April 10, allowing four runs (three earned) in one inning in a 10–7 loss to the Phillies.

[36] On September 17, with one out in the second and the Reds trailing the Houston Colt .45s by a score of 3–2, Worthington relieved Joe Nuxhall and pitched 7+1⁄3 scoreless innings, earning the win in a 4–3 victory.

[1] With San Diego, he made 10 appearances (two starts), posting a 4–1 record, a 3.18 ERA, 30 strikeouts, eight walks, and 29 hits allowed in 34 innings.

[1] "It was in Minnesota that Worthington enjoyed his greatest success, working as the team's top relief pitcher for most of the next six seasons," reporter Creg Stephenson wrote.

[38] Ultimately, he allowed earned runs in just five of the 41 games he appeared in for Minnesota and had a 1.37 ERA with the Twins in 1964, which Sports Illustrated called "impressive.

[40] On August 30, he entered in the seventh after Jim Kaat had allowed a run and threw three scoreless innings in an eventual 11-inning, 3–2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

[43] On April 24, 1966, Worthington struck out six batters in 2+2⁄3 innings, allowing a run but earning the save as the Twins beat the California Angels 5–3.

[44] 12 days later, he gave up a home run to George Scott that tied a game against the Red Sox but struck out five in three innings and picked up the win as Minnesota defeated Boston 4–3.

Following a walk to Brooks Robinson, Worthington induced a foul pop fly from Curt Blefary to end the inning, but he gave up a run in the eighth, allowing the Orioles to tie the game.

[47] In the second game of a doubleheader against the Orioles on July 11, he allowed three runs in three innings but got the save in a 10–7 triumph, striking out five hitters, his second-highest total of the season.

[51] The Twins were in a close pennant race with the Red Sox, with the outcome hanging on the final game of the year on October 1, where Minnesota faced Boston.

[10] On April 25, 1968, Worthington pitched 3+2⁄3 scoreless innings to finish the game and earn the save as the Twins defeated the Chicago White Sox by a score of 3–2.

[48] In the first game of a doubleheader against the White Sox on July 16, he allowed one run in four innings and earned the win as the Twins prevailed by a score of 9–8.

Tasked with finishing the game, he blew the lead in the ninth when Duke Sims hit a tying two-run home run against him.

However, after retiring Jim Palmer to start the sixth, he allowed three straight hits, including an RBI single to Frank Robinson, before he was replaced on the mound by Joe Grzenda.

"[1] Earl Battey, who caught Worthington with the Twins, said, "He gives you that big motion and keeps the ball down and throws at the corners … an amazing pitcher.

[1] Though Worthington grew up going to church, he and Shirley became born-again Christians in 1958 on the second night of attending a Billy Graham Crusade at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.