Howard Earl "Howie" Williams (October 29, 1927 – December 25, 2004) was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.

He was a 3rd Round pick of the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1950 NBA draft[2] but chose instead to sign a contract with the Peoria Caterpillars of the American Athletic Union and the National Industrial Basketball League.

[3] Williams and the rest of the Caterpillar team defeated the NCAA Champion Kansas Jayhawks in the AAU Title game.

The 1952 win placed Williams as well as Peoria teammates; Ronald Bontemps, Marcus Freiberger, Frank McCabe and Dan Pippin on the U.S. Olympic squad.

That team, led by fellow native Hoosier Clyde Lovellette won the gold medal.