I know the group here has many great Ted Williams stories to share and retell. I would love to read them here.
Happy 100th Birthday to Ted Willams!
- Thread starter Lose Remerswaal
- Start date
Shaughnessy had a great article today (as much as that pains me to say):
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2018/08/29/ted-williams-would-turning-now-but-his-legend-never-gets-old/IspyYOMI7emrzFgnR47oAP/story.html
I got to meet Ted the night they retired he and Joe Cronin’s number on May 29th, 1984. I was 9 years old and my Dad got a friend who had a luxury box to allow us to come to the game. My Dad had actually caddied for Joe Cronin many years prior in the 1960’s at Belmont Country Club (I believe), and so he was doubly excited. We were very fortunate to randomly bump into both Mr. Cronin (in a wheelchair) and Ted in an elevator on the way down from the luxury suites after the game had started. I don’t believe I said a word — way too awestruck, but I got to shake his hand. He was still a towering figure at that point. We also met Walt Dropo that night randomly — my Dad recognized him walking through the stadium and stopped him, and introduced me to him. He chuckled and said “you have no idea who I am” to which I replied “you won the rookie of the year in 1950”. I was a bit obsessed back then.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2018/08/29/ted-williams-would-turning-now-but-his-legend-never-gets-old/IspyYOMI7emrzFgnR47oAP/story.html
I got to meet Ted the night they retired he and Joe Cronin’s number on May 29th, 1984. I was 9 years old and my Dad got a friend who had a luxury box to allow us to come to the game. My Dad had actually caddied for Joe Cronin many years prior in the 1960’s at Belmont Country Club (I believe), and so he was doubly excited. We were very fortunate to randomly bump into both Mr. Cronin (in a wheelchair) and Ted in an elevator on the way down from the luxury suites after the game had started. I don’t believe I said a word — way too awestruck, but I got to shake his hand. He was still a towering figure at that point. We also met Walt Dropo that night randomly — my Dad recognized him walking through the stadium and stopped him, and introduced me to him. He chuckled and said “you have no idea who I am” to which I replied “you won the rookie of the year in 1950”. I was a bit obsessed back then.
Met Mr Williams in 1978, about an hour after game 162. I was 16 and my Mom, brother and I went to the last two games of the regular season (so we thought). Mom said going to game 163 was not an option with school the next day in VT. I snapped a picture of the scoreboard "Thank You Rick Waits" and we went back to the car at the hotel (Holiday Inn). We got lost leaving Boston so we ended up back at the hotel to ask for directions and there standing right in front of the doors was the greatest... well, you know.
We walked right up to Ted and he couldn't have been more friendly. We shook his hand, got an autograph and talked for a bit. Ted asked if. we were going to the game the next day. I told him Mom said school came first. He asked if I played ball and said I looked like a pitcher. I was probably 6'3", 140 lbs at the time.
What an unforgettable day that was.
Just checked... the day Ted was born the Sox took two games from the Philadelphia A's at Fenway, 12-0 and 4-1. The A's made 8 errors in game 1 and Babe got a couple knocks. 12 days later (Sept. 11) the Sox would clinch their 5th World Series. The season was cut short because of WWI.
We walked right up to Ted and he couldn't have been more friendly. We shook his hand, got an autograph and talked for a bit. Ted asked if. we were going to the game the next day. I told him Mom said school came first. He asked if I played ball and said I looked like a pitcher. I was probably 6'3", 140 lbs at the time.
What an unforgettable day that was.
Just checked... the day Ted was born the Sox took two games from the Philadelphia A's at Fenway, 12-0 and 4-1. The A's made 8 errors in game 1 and Babe got a couple knocks. 12 days later (Sept. 11) the Sox would clinch their 5th World Series. The season was cut short because of WWI.
Took my girls to last night’s game – an 85 year old man who was sharp as a tack was sitting behind us and said that he went to his first game in 1939 when he was 6. In that game, he said Ted hit the game winning homer in the 10th inning. He didn’t realize that the game we were at was on Ted’s 100th birthday. He seemed pretty touched when I mentioned that.
May 9, 1939 in St Louis against the Browns. Pretty awesome that he remembered it. Wish I could remember anything about the first game I ever went to, other than that I went.
