The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Thumper, Teddy Ballgame

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

On this day in 1939, Ted Williams made his major league debut for the Red Sox, going 1-for-4 with a double vs. the Yankees. He would place 4th in the AL MVP vote after the conclusion of his rookie season.

Ted Williams’s 1941 line is as follows: .406/.553/.735, 1.288 OPS, 235 OPS+ (8th highest single-season mark). The .553 OBP was the highest single-season figure until Bonds’s 2002 (.582) and 2004 (.609) seasons.

His last season (1960), as a 41-year old outfielder, he put up a .316/.451/.645 with an OPS+ of 189. Which was three seasons removed from what might be his most amazing year of all, given his age... his 1957 season: .388/.526/.731 (233 OPS+) at 38 years old.

He is the all-time leader in career OBP (.482), second all-time in career OPS+ (190, to Ruth’s 207… Bonds is 3rd at 182).

These are the most basic of statistics, but in light of the current SABR-heavy focus on how production is measured and with today’s players’ numbers as a convenient framing device, Ted’s numbers seem all the more fanciful. What would it be like to see this guy play now, especially given his larger-than-life persona and all of the off-the-field stuff that constantly swirled around him? Let’s not forget his role in bringing the Jimmy Fund to the forefront of the public eye, as well as his war hero status; he flew F9F-5 Panthers in combat missions with John Glenn! His life deserves a Hollywood epic, except you could never cast the lead part, because John Wayne is dead.

In the mid-80s I went to an Old-Timers’ Day at Fenway with my father. We had seats in the boxes along the 3rd base/left field line, past the bend where it juts out toward left field at an angle. Ted played left field that day, and in the lull before the start of one inning he was casually glancing at the crowd. He happened to be looking at the area where we were seated, and my father (as emotionally reserved a man as you might find) hesitantly raised his hand to Ted, giving him a wave, all the while seeming like he couldn’t believe he was actually doing it. My father was born in 1946, and Ted was his first and only idol.

It wasn’t very crowded at that point -- the Old Timers’ game preceded the actual Sox game, and not everyone had arrived yet -- and Ted spotted my father’s wave, and raised his hand in return.

My dad nodded to him and put his hand down, then turned to look at home plate with a smile so forceful it seemed as if he was trying to repress it for fear of his face falling off or something, his hands clenched into fists out of sheer joy. He said nothing, which was par for the course with my dad, but even if he had wanted to, I don’t think he could have. I was 14 or 15 at the time, and I thought to myself, Holy crap, my dad is a kid again.

And Ted’s ability to make that happen was far more impressive to me than any OPS+ he ever put up.

 

[Philip Jeff Frye]

Biographies of Ted are engrossing reads - he was such an interesting person, even beyond what he did on the field. The way he made friends with a seemingly wide and random set of people, his wartime exploits, his talent and passion for fishing, his post-career success as a pitchman for Sears. Its amazing to read about his generosity with virtual strangers intertwined with his mostly disastrous family relationships. He was a complicated and fascinating guy.

I wonder what modern analytics would make of his glove work - was it really as bad as alleged, or was it so bad that it significantly detracted from his value as a hitter?

 

[teddywingman]

It really would be fascinating if a film could be made of his life. Unfortunately, I don't think it can be done, not because John Wayne is dead or because the right actor doesn't exist. It's just that his life was such an epic, his exploits so sprawling, that no script could capture enough of him to put it all in perspective.

I've thought about this for years.

 

[bankshot1]

Two very random observations about Ted Williams.

One of my earliest baseball memories was of William's making the last out, a flyball deep to right/center, to end a 1958 Jim Bunning no-hitter (also my first no-hitter). I didn't give much thought then to the fly-ball, but thought the no-no was cool.

and

My older cousin Freddie was a Sox fan/budding photographer who hung around Fenway as a kid taking baseball pics. Williams took an interest in Freddie, and they became friends. LSS, Freddie who became a successful sports photographer, who's work was regularly in SI, Sport, (he took Muhammad Ali's first official posed championship photos) had a young son who hung the nick-name "Teddie Ballgame" on Teddie Ballgame. (see Halberstam's Summer of '49). Freddie who moved to San Francisco, in the 60s, passed several years ago, and I was always little pissed at my mom (Freddie's 1st cousin) for never asking Freddie for some Teddie stuff. She probably would have thrown in out anyway.

 

[donutogre]

I'm sure this has been discussed ad nauseam, but it simple boggles my mind at how good and consistent he was... WITHOUT his age 24-26 seasons. It's almost criminal. How good would his career look if he had played 3 more healthy seasons at his usual level of production?

 

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

To say nothing of missing the bulk of his age 33 and 34 seasons in 1952 and '53 due to military service. That was the more unprecedented absence; while many great baseball players served their country during WWII, not many (if any) were called back to serve in Korea like Ted was.

 

[Dewey'sCannon]

Tremendous post to kick off this thread - the story about your dad got me a little misty. Probably the same thing that would happen to me if it were Yaz.

 

[Bergs]

Tremendous post to kick off this thread - the story about your dad got me a little misty. Probably the same thing that would happen to me if it were Yaz.

I've met Yaz and I was just useless over how starstruck I was.

 

[Reverend]

It really would be fascinating if a film could be made of his life. Unfortunately, I don't think it can be done, not because John Wayne is dead or because the right actor doesn't exist. It's just that his life was such an epic, his exploits so sprawling, that no script could capture enough of him to put it all in perspective.

I've thought about this for years.

Seconded.

Personally, I'd love to see an essay from @The Allented Mr Ripley on why John Wayne would not be able to play Ted Williams. I'd place specific emphasis, with deference to Rip's knowledge of film, to how Wayne got lost in his characters in a way that Williams never did. Or at least was different in how each related to their own character.

I mean, with WIlliams--sure, he was a character. He knew he was a character. But the guy wasn't acting.

Disclosure: My dad also became a little kid in weird ways when discussing Williams. It was just a different side of him.

 

[DourDoerr]

teddywingman may be right that you couldn't cover too much of what Ted was and did in a 2 hour movie. The obvious solution would be a Netflix mini-series which could definitely get it all. Although I think I'd prefer a comprehensive documentary and Williams certainly deserves one.

If you're going fiction though the big question would be how do you get a good actor who can duplicate that swing and convey Williams' easy athleticism? Still haven't seen the Robinson biopic, but from the ads, Chadwick Boseman seemed a good facsimile. Obviously, exposure in a 2 hour movie may have made that notion laughable, so I don't know. I think that's the only route - a relative unknown. Boseman had worked a lot up to "42" but it was mostly tv and he didn't break through until "42." If you can't find the right athlete/good actor, you're veering into Bendix as Ruth territory (although the corny script in that picture had an equal hand in the carnage) and no one wants that.

 

[reggiecleveland]

It really would be fascinating if a film could be made of his life. Unfortunately, I don't think it can be done, not because John Wayne is dead or because the right actor doesn't exist. It's just that his life was such an epic, his exploits so sprawling, that no script could capture enough of him to put it all in perspective.

I've thought about this for years.

Ted's own idea how to begin film

 

[fenwaypaul]

My dad was born 28 years earlier than Rip's, but Ted's being their only sports idol was something they had in common. Though my dad's lifelong Red Sox fanaticism took a major hit in 1949 from which he never recovered, he still rooted for the team and continued loving Ted. My Teducation came early and was thorough. We were sitting in Yankee Stadium one summer afternoon in 1956 or 57 (I would have been 11 or 12) watching the Sox play the Yankees. Ted hit a magnificent shot out of the park and my father, not given to solemn pronouncements, turned to me and said, "I want you always to remember that you just saw the great Ted Williams hit a home run." Needless to say, I never did forget that moment and I cherish the memory to this day.

 

[ErrorBuddin]

My dad was born 28 years earlier than Rip's, but Ted's being their only sports idol was something they had in common. Though my dad's lifelong Red Sox fanaticism took a major hit in 1949 from which he never recovered, he still rooted for the team and continued loving Ted. My Teducation came early and was thorough. We were sitting in Yankee Stadium one summer afternoon in 1956 or 57 (I would have been 11 or 12) watching the Sox play the Yankees. Ted hit a magnificent shot out of the park and my father, not given to solemn pronouncements, turned to me and said, "I want you always to remember that you just saw the great Ted Williams hit a home run." Needless to say, I never did forget that moment and I cherish the memory to this day.

On my 21st birthday I went to see a meaningless game against the Texas Rangers because there was a home run derby before the game to benefit the Jimmy Fund. Five Sox and five Rangers were the announced hitters, but everyone hoped Ted would take some swings since it was for the Jimmy Fund. After the hitters went, the paunchy Ted came jogging out of the dugout with a bat. He made a fist at Lee Stange to throw hard and took several swings. He didn't hit any out but he hit a line drive down the right field line that never got more than three feet off the ground. Reggie Smith was crouched on the foul line about 250 from home. The ball went by his nose before he had time to react. As the ball short hopped the fence, Reggie suddenly fell over backwards. It remains one of the hardest hit balls I've ever seen. He was and remains my lifelong favorite. My father began taking me to games in 1957 and that exhibition remains my favorite memory. There was no one like Ted and never will be.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Biographies of Ted are engrossing reads - he was such an interesting person, even beyond what he did on the field. The way he made friends with a seemingly wide and random set of people, his wartime exploits, his talent and passion for fishing, his post-career success as a pitchman for Sears. Its amazing to read about his generosity with virtual strangers intertwined with his mostly disastrous family relationships. He was a complicated and fascinating guy.

I wonder what modern analytics would make of his glove work - was it really as bad as alleged, or was it so bad that it significantly detracted from his value as a hitter?

Every Sox fan has heard the story about Ted hitting .3995 going into the last day of the season in 1941 and Cronin telling him he could sit out the last two games (doubleheader) and they’d round his average up to .400. Of course, he said he was going to play, went 6 for 8 and finished at .406. The guy he went walking with all over Philadelphia the night before was Johnny Orlando, the clubhouse manager. You’d think he’d grab Dom, or Johnny or Bobby.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20160928_The_night_in_Philly_before_Ted_Williams_hit__406.html?mobi=true

 

[BuellMiller]

That was an interesting article...I didn't realize that SF's counted as at-bats back then, meaning his average would have been higher that it actually was.

 

[OCST]

Rip, this is fantastic. You've posted a bunch of your work and this is my favorite.

 

[bluefenderstrat]

Here's a ZIPS projection of Ted's missing seasons, for what it's worth.

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/oracle/discussion/zips_projections_ted_williams/

Year        AB    R     H  2B 3B  HR  RBI   BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG
————————————————————————————————————

1943       503  147   189  37  5  41  145  160  36  .376  .529  .714

1944       503  152   191  39  5  43  153  168  31  .380  .537  .734

1945       509  158   195  41  6  46  165  169  30  .383  .539  .758
————————————————————————————————————

1952       495  132   154  31  3  31  127  133  40  .311  .458  .574

1953       465  128   140  28  2  28  116  123  35  .301  .447  .551
————————————————————————————————————

Total     2477  709   880 176 22 197  718  748 176  .355  .506  .683

Actual     101   19    41   6  1  14   37   21  12  .406  .508  .901
————————————————————————————————————

Gain      2376  690   839 170 21 183  685  727 164   

RealTot.  7706 1798  2654 525 71 521 1839 2021 709   
————————————————————————————————————

NoWars   10082 2488  3493 695 92 704 2524 2748 873  .346  .488  .643

 

[GrandSlamPozo]

Between 1940 and 1958, Ted Williams:

• Won 12 OBP titles
• Had 2 seasons with the highest OBP in the league but finished ~60 plate appearances short of qualifying due to injuries
  
• Missed the bulk of two seasons serving in the Korean War but put up an OBP over .500 in limited playing time
• Missed three full seasons serving in WW2

If not for injuries and service time he likely would have won 19 consecutive OBP titles

 

[SoxinPA]

Any biographies of Ted that stand out as exceptional? My son shares a birthday with him and recently has become baseball obsessed, so I was thinking maybe a birthday present someday.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Any biographies of Ted that stand out as exceptional? My son shares a birthday with him and recently has become baseball obsessed, so I was thinking maybe a birthday present someday.

“The Kid” by Ben Bradley is the best written I’ve read, but might be intimidating at 800+ pages. There is a book by recently departed Dick Enberg “Being Ted Williams” I want to check out myself.

 

[Reverend]

Any biographies of Ted that stand out as exceptional? My son shares a birthday with him and recently has become baseball obsessed, so I was thinking maybe a birthday present someday.

Show him The Right Stuff . Then explain that his wingman in Korea was Ted Williams.

Then ask him if he really thinks that happened through random selection.

 

[Doug Beerabelli]

Leigh Montville's biography is also great. I lived Bradlee's too.

Rip - just an great post, and even better artwork.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Here's something I learned today about Ted Williams. His subpar performance in the 1946 WS was caused by being hit by a pitch during the first of three games against an AL All-Star team that the Red Sox organized after the AL championship since the NL was playing 3 games and the AL only played 1. https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/october-1-1946-red-sox-tune-world-series-vs-al-all-stars

The AL All-Stars had five players who played in the real All-Star game that summer (Appling, DiMaggio, Newhouser, Spence, and Stirnweiss) and included other players like Hank Greenberg, Hal Newhouser, and Dizzy Trout. Yawkey gave the game revenues (after expenses) to the All-Star game while the RS players got regular game checks. And unbelievably, official attendance was 1,996.

Boy that was a different era.

 

[DegenerateSoxFan]

I just got my father Ben Bradlee’s “The Kid.” Anyone read that particular bio? I just skimmed a few pages at the local B&N, and it seemed like he’d love it given that Williams was the man when he was little.

 

[Al Zarilla]

I just got my father Ben Bradlee’s “The Kid.” Anyone read that particular bio? I just skimmed a few pages at the local B&N, and it seemed like he’d love it given that Williams was the man when he was little.

Just a few posts upthread, 2 two thumbs up.

 

[DegenerateSoxFan]

Just a few posts upthread, 2 two thumbs up.

Doh!! So much for my careful reading habits...

My father just started in, and gives it a thumbs up thus far.

Williams was really something. I would have loved to have gone fishing with the guy, just pounding some southern or western reservoir for Largemouths.

 

[Reverend]

Doh!! So much for my careful reading habits...

My father just started in, and gives it a thumbs up thus far.

Williams was really something. I would have loved to have gone fishing with the guy, just pounding some southern or western reservoir for Largemouths.

Doh!! So much for my careful reading habits...

My father just started in, and gives it a thumbs up thus far.

Williams was really something. I would have loved to have gone fishing with the guy, just pounding some southern or western reservoir for Largemouths.

Careful what you wish for.

"He decided that the way we wanted our eggs was soft-boiled."

 

[DegenerateSoxFan]

Careful what you wish for.

"He decided that the way we wanted our eggs was soft-boiled."

As an OCD type who used to fish tournaments, I’d put up with his perfectionism and hyper-competitiveness just to learn from the guy.

 

[DeweyWins]

Careful what you wish for.

"He decided that the way we wanted our eggs was soft-boiled."

Hey, @Reverend. Thank you for sharing the link. Somehow I'd never read this article before today, and am glad to have corrected that error today.

 

[BaseballJones]

I wore #9 all through little league and high school because of Williams.

His staggering numbers got me thinking about whose 5-year peak was better: Williams', Bonds', or Ruth's. All three obviously were incredible. And by 5-year peak, I mean their best 5 years.

Bonds (2002, 2004, 2001, 2003, 1993)
2002: 46 hr, 110 rbi, .370/.581/.799/1.381, 268 ops+, 11.8 bWAR
2004: 45 hr, 101 rbi, .362/.609/.812/1.422, 263 ops+, 10.6 bWAR
2001: 73 hr, 137 rbi, .328/.515/.863/1.379, 259 ops+, 11.9 bWAR
2003: 45 hr, 90 rbi, .341/.529/.749/1.278, 231 ops+, 9.2 bWAR
1993: 46 hr, 123 rbi, .336/.458/.677/1.136, 206 ops+, 9.9 bWAR

Williams (1941, 1957, 1942, 1946, 1947)
1941: 37 hr, 120 rbi, .406/.553/.735/1.287, 235 ops+, 10.6 bWAR
1957: 38 hr, 87 rbi, .388/.526/.731/1.257, 233 ops+, 9.7 bWAR
1942: 36 hr, 157 rbi, .359/.499/.648/1.147, 216 ops+, 10.6 bWAR
1946: 38 hr, 128 rbi, .342/.497/.667/1.164, 215 ops+, 10.9 bWAR
1947: 32 hr, 114 rbi, .343/.499/.634/1.133, 205 ops+, 9.9 bWAR

Ruth (1920, 1923, 1921, 1926, 1927)
1920: 54 hr, 135 rbi, .376/.532/.847/1.379, 255 ops+, 11.9 bWAR
1923: 41 hr, 130 rbi, .393/.545/.764/1.309, 239 ops+, 14.1 bWAR
1921: 59 hr, 168 rbi, .378/.512/.846/1.359, 238 ops+, 12.9 bWAR
1926: 47 hr, 153 rbi, .372/.516/.737/1.253, 225 ops+, 11.5 bWAR
1927: 60 hr, 165 rbi, .356/.486/.772/1.258, 225 ops+, 12.4 bWAR

Looks like Ruth. Each one has a caveat. Williams lost 5 prime years to war, so we don't know what those numbers would or could have been. And he played some of his best years before integration. Ruth, of course, played all his years before segregation. Bonds has the cloud of steroids hanging over him.

But my god look at those numbers for all three of them. Insane.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Great article Rev. Thanks for posting it. Ted was in rare (or actually “Ted”) form that day. Imagine the GOAT hitter cooking for, at 5 am, even getting their soft boiled eggs started and driving around writers and photographers for a fishing article. One of a kind.

 

[Al Zarilla]

I wore #9 all through little league and high school because of Williams.

His staggering numbers got me thinking about whose 5-year peak was better: Williams', Bonds', or Ruth's. All three obviously were incredible. And by 5-year peak, I mean their best 5 years.

Bonds (2002, 2004, 2001, 2003, 1993)
2002: 46 hr, 110 rbi, .370/.581/.799/1.381, 268 ops+, 11.8 bWAR
2004: 45 hr, 101 rbi, .362/.609/.812/1.422, 263 ops+, 10.6 bWAR
2001: 73 hr, 137 rbi, .328/.515/.863/1.379, 259 ops+, 11.9 bWAR
2003: 45 hr, 90 rbi, .341/.529/.749/1.278, 231 ops+, 9.2 bWAR
1993: 46 hr, 123 rbi, .336/.458/.677/1.136, 206 ops+, 9.9 bWAR

Williams (1941, 1957, 1942, 1946, 1947)
1941: 37 hr, 120 rbi, .406/.553/.735/1.287, 235 ops+, 10.6 bWAR
1957: 38 hr, 87 rbi, .388/.526/.731/1.257, 233 ops+, 9.7 bWAR
1942: 36 hr, 157 rbi, .359/.499/.648/1.147, 216 ops+, 10.6 bWAR
1946: 38 hr, 128 rbi, .342/.497/.667/1.164, 215 ops+, 10.9 bWAR
1947: 32 hr, 114 rbi, .343/.499/.634/1.133, 205 ops+, 9.9 bWAR

Ruth (1920, 1923, 1921, 1926, 1927)
1920: 54 hr, 135 rbi, .376/.532/.847/1.379, 255 ops+, 11.9 bWAR
1923: 41 hr, 130 rbi, .393/.545/.764/1.309, 239 ops+, 14.1 bWAR
1921: 59 hr, 168 rbi, .378/.512/.846/1.359, 238 ops+, 12.9 bWAR
1926: 47 hr, 153 rbi, .372/.516/.737/1.253, 225 ops+, 11.5 bWAR
1927: 60 hr, 165 rbi, .356/.486/.772/1.258, 225 ops+, 12.4 bWAR

Looks like Ruth. Each one has a caveat. Williams lost 5 prime years to war, so we don't know what those numbers would or could have been. And he played some of his best years before integration. Ruth, of course, played all his years before segregation. Bonds has the cloud of steroids hanging over him.

But my god look at those numbers for all three of them. Insane.

I think I've seen studies that if you take into consideration the eras in which they hit, Ted comes out on top (disregarding Bonds). For example, in the Ruth years, there were eight .400 or better batting average years. During Williams' time, and to the present, there has been one, by Ted. Of course, it's not just the number of .400 seasons that were taken into account for this comparison. Can't find such a comparison in a few minutes. Ted has been pretty universally called the best hitter of all time for quite some time though.

 

[MtPleasant Paul]

Some random thoughts inspired by this thread. At a Florida card show in the 90's a fan at the back of the line was frantically waving a bat at Williams. "What do you want?" snapped an irritated Ted. The guy replied, "Ted, do you remember the first home run you hit in New England?" "I sure do," exclaimed Williams. "It was that grand slam I hit at Fitton Field in Worcester." "Well I'm the Holy Cross guy who threw you that pitch, Will you autograph this bat?" " Come on up here," said Ted.

My father in law, Joe Delaney, pitched later in that game. He was able to brag that he got Williams on a flyout and that he pitched to four hall of famers that day including Foxx, Cronin and Doerr, all of whom had scored on Ted's grand slam..

A day or two after Ted died in 2002,I was back in New England listening to WEEI which managed to track down Curt Gowdy in France for a great long interview. What sticks in my mind is Gowdy saying, "I don't think a perfectionist like Ted could have ever been truly happy."

And the Bradlee and Montville books are both great with Bradlee's longer opus a neck ahead.. But it's Montville, I think, who has a great story about one of Ted's blue collar buddies penetrating Gen. Douglas MacArthur's inner sanctum ("How did you get my number?" intoned the great man.) seeking a birthday message for Ted. The general happened to have portraits which admirers had painted of him and sent one duly inscribed to Ted.

And, in addition to being a great hitter, fisherman, and aviator, Williams was also regarded as an excellent photographer to which he brought the same focus he applied to his other pursuits. He took many pictures during his tour in Korea. I don't know how much of his work exists but maybe more could be done in this area..

A great man, he seems to have had the gift of concentration which eludes so many of us.

 

[TeddyBallgame9]

MY Father, despite being born and raised in New York, was a HUGE Red Sox fan, all because of his love for Ted Williams (not to mentioned he LOVED to argue and what better way to start an argument than being a Red Sox fan in NYC). When me and my siblings were growing up he had us convinced that Ted Williams was our Uncle. We happily, blindly followed along with this ruse until we were all old enough to realize it was complete BS. But I will say this: at the time I found out that Santa Claus was't real I STILL believed that Ted Williams was my uncle. As an adult I have used all four of his nicknames on animals I've owned. My Am Staff Teddy Ballgame is my avatar (RIP, best dog ever) and have since had a dog named Thumper (and she was a thumper!) a horse whose barn name was The Kid and a cat Named Splendid Splinter. Needless to say the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived had a profound affect on my Dad and our whole family.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

teddywingman may be right that you couldn't cover too much of what Ted was and did in a 2 hour movie. The obvious solution would be a Netflix mini-series which could definitely get it all. Although I think I'd prefer a comprehensive documentary and Williams certainly deserves one.

American Masters on PBS will air a documentary on Ted this summer. It's co-produced by Big Papi productions and a lot of the commentary is by Ben Bradlee Jr. and Leigh Montville, who know his story so well.

It's targeted more to people who don't know all of Ted's story that well, rather than diehard fans who've read the biographies. But it will surely be worth watching.

 

[BaseballJones]

I think I've seen studies that if you take into consideration the eras in which they hit, Ted comes out on top (disregarding Bonds). For example, in the Ruth years, there were eight .400 or better batting average years. During Williams' time, and to the present, there has been one, by Ted. Of course, it's not just the number of .400 seasons that were taken into account for this comparison. Can't find such a comparison in a few minutes. Ted has been pretty universally called the best hitter of all time for quite some time though.

Isn't that what WAR and OPS+ are supposed to do - help normalize things from a relative perspective? When I look at those numbers, I just think Ruth was the greatest hitter ever. In 1927, Ruth hit 60 home runs, more than any other team (besides the Yankees, of course) in the American League. In 1920, Ruth hit 54 homers, also more than any other team in the AL. I mean, how does that happen?

 

[Al Zarilla]

Ted's own idea how to begin film

Yes, make that movie, somebody. Find a good looking 6 foot 3 actor with curly hair who can look reasonable swinging left handed, and another good looking guy to play Jerry Coleman. Flesh it out. One thing I’ve seen quoted from Williams was when his damaged plane in Korea finally stopped and he could get out and run away from it, he said he was running like Mantle, or felt like it. He always seemed to have an appreciation for other great players, and talk about them, like Mantle, Feller, DiMaggio, Foxx and before his time, Hornsby and Cobb.

Fenway Paul, I seem to have a recollection of seeing Ted hit three home runs in a doubleheader at Fenway when I was a kid, but can’t find it on BBREF or through Google. I can still see all three of them in my mind’s eye, but can’t find the games.

 

[Reverend]

Do we know if the autograph story from after the crash is true or not?

 

[Al Zarilla]

Isn't that what WAR and OPS+ are supposed to do - help normalize things from a relative perspective? When I look at those numbers, I just think Ruth was the greatest hitter ever. In 1927, Ruth hit 60 home runs, more than any other team (besides the Yankees, of course) in the American League. In 1920, Ruth hit 54 homers, also more than any other team in the AL. I mean, how does that happen?

Ruth didn’t have the following to contend with: night games, sliders, relief specialists and anybody who could throw as hard as Feller. Also, WAR is still relative to the players you’re competing with, and the pitchers just weren’t as good back then. Those Ruth home run totals compared with whole teams are silly though. I think the hitting .400 thing is very telling...12 from 1901 through 1930 and 1 since.

 

[reggiecleveland]

The possibly apocryphal story I like about Ted the pilot, is when a guy in the mess tent was telling him about the baseball field they had set up. The guy had been a college player and was encouraging this shy pilot that he should come out and play. Ted as noncommittal and the guy promised to take it easy and give him a few pointers. When Ted excused himself and left the tent, the entire place erupted with laughter.

 

[BaseballJones]

Ruth didn’t have the following to contend with: night games, sliders, relief specialists and anybody who could throw as hard as Feller. Also, WAR is still relative to the players you’re competing with, and the pitchers just weren’t as good back then. Those Ruth home run totals compared with whole teams are silly though. I think the hitting .400 thing is very telling...12 from 1901 through 1930 and 1 since.

True. But Ruth had to contend with a lousy baseball, spitballs, and terrible technology. And of course, as I said earlier, he didn't have to play against any players of color, which is a huge strike against him (not his fault, but still).

Anyway, that he out-homered entire teams was just mind-boggling.

 

[reggiecleveland]

Ruth was the rare talent that caught the right time in history. The ball changed, and the HR became a weapon, and he was the first adopter, and maybe all things considered the best. But the outhomered whole teams thing is not as if everyone was trying to hit homers and suddenly he came into the league and individually was better at the most important skill than entire teams combined.

 

[Mike F]

I also attended that Jimmy Fund Charity Game with TSW performing in the pregame "hitting contest." I remember that before Ted was announced the crowd stood and cheered. We remained standing and cheering throughout his entire time at bat. As cited Ted one.hopped a liner into the RF stands but as well he hooked a ball just foul of the Pesky Pole. There were about 30 nuns sitting around me and here comes that ball. It looked like an explosion in Antarctica with the scrambling black and white garments. As an afterthought, when Ted finished many of the nuns left.
PS when I saw the hometown morning paper There was a large picture of Ted from the night before. I cut it out and mailed it with an appreciative letter to Ted Williams, Fenway Park. About a month later it came back post marked FL, fully autographed by The Kid.

 

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

This is a screenshot from Ted's B-Ref page, I snipped from his 1939 season to his 1958 season. Bold type indicates he was the league leader in that particular category. This is insane:

 

[Al Zarilla]

I also attended that Jimmy Fund Charity Game with TSW performing in the pregame "hitting contest." I remember that before Ted was announced the crowd stood and cheered. We remained standing and cheering throughout his entire time at bat. As cited Ted one.hopped a liner into the RF stands but as well he hooked a ball just foul of the Pesky Pole. There were about 30 nuns sitting around me and here comes that ball. It looked like an explosion in Antarctica with the scrambling black and white garments. As an afterthought, when Ted finished many of the nuns left.
PS when I saw the hometown morning paper There was a large picture of Ted from the night before. I cut it out and mailed it with an appreciative letter to Ted Williams, Fenway Park. About a month later it came back post marked FL, fully autographed by The Kid.

My sister took my two 1954 Topps Williams cards to spring training one year back in the 80s, forget what year. Topps that year had Ted as #1 and #250. He signed both of them; here’s #250.

She also got some pictures with at the time Sox pitcher Dennis Eckersley. She has more b**** than I do! I would be cowering.

Edit, larger is better.

 

[terrynever]

Yes, make that movie, somebody. Find a good looking 6 foot 3 actor with curly hair who can look reasonable swinging left handed, and another good looking guy to play Jerry Coleman. Flesh it out. One thing I’ve seen quoted from Williams was when his damaged plane in Korea finally stopped and he could get out and run away from it, he said he was running like Mantle, or felt like it. He always seemed to have an appreciation for other great players, and talk about them, like Mantle, Feller, DiMaggio, Foxx and before his time, Hornsby and Cobb.

Fenway Paul, I seem to have a recollection of seeing Ted hit three home runs in a doubleheader at Fenway when I was a kid, but can’t find it on BBREF or through Google. I can still see all three of them in my mind’s eye, but can’t find the games.

Ted often talked to rival hitters, like Mantle, around the batting cage. He usually stressed patience, taking walks over expanding the zone. This culminated for Mantle in 1957 with a career-high .512 OBP that ran second in the league to Ted's .526. The numbers just make you laugh, all these years later.
Ted totally influenced the stars of his era. But he couldn't change the Yankees' catcher. Yogi swung at everything. Yogi drove Ted nuts because he would strike up conversations when Ted stepped in to hit.
I met noted wood sculptor Armand LaMontagne about a decade after he carved Ted's statue for the Hall of Fame. Ted famously cried when he first saw the sculpture. When I met Armand, probably the world's greatest wood sculptor, he spoke about Ted like it was just yesterday they had last met. He was in awe of the guy, and terribly sad that Ted was in failing health.
Nobody could play Ted in a movie because of that lefthanded swing. Who could come close to that? Is there a modern lefty who came close? Griffey Jr. had the kind of grace but not the fury. Griff made it look easy, like a golf swing. Ted was rhythm and hips and bat speed. And 20/10 vision. I think all of us who saw that swing will never forget it.

 

[Reverend]

Ted often talked to rival hitters, like Mantle, around the batting cage. He usually stressed patience, taking walks over expanding the zone. This culminated for Mantle in 1957 with a career-high .512 OBP that ran second in the league to Ted's .526. The numbers just make you laugh, all these years later.
Ted totally influenced the stars of his era. But he couldn't change the Yankees' catcher. Yogi swung at everything. Yogi drove Ted nuts because he would strike up conversations when Ted stepped in to hit.
I met noted wood sculptor Armand LaMontagne about a decade after he carved Ted's statue for the Hall of Fame. Ted famously cried when he first saw the sculpture. When I met Armand, probably the world's greatest wood sculptor, he spoke about Ted like it was just yesterday they had last met. He was in awe of the guy, and terribly sad that Ted was in failing health.
Nobody could play Ted in a movie because of that lefthanded swing. Who could come close to that? Is there a modern lefty who came close? Griffey Jr. had the kind of grace but not the fury. Griff made it look easy, like a golf swing. Ted was rhythm and hips and bat speed. And 20/10 vision. I think all of us who saw that swing will never forget it.

Should we be starting to organize in anticipation of our violent revolt when they try to CGI The Kid's swing to make a movie?

 

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

Here's the man himself giving batting tips:

 

[terrynever]

Should we be starting to organize in anticipation of our violent revolt when they try to CGI The Kid's swing to make a movie?

Nah. Jimmy Piersall already went nuts after seeing Anthony Perkins' impersonation in Fear Strikes Out.
Thank God that Lou Gehrig was already dead when Gary Cooper played him in Pride of the Yankees. Coop was so bad, they had him swing from his natural right side and then they flipped the film negative.
It's a whole thread -- Good, Bad and Ugly sports impersonations by Hollywood.

 

[Reverend]

Nah. Jimmy Piersall already went nuts after seeing Anthony Perkins' impersonation in Fear Strikes Out.
Thank God that Lou Gehrig was already dead when Gary Cooper played him in Pride of the Yankees. Coop was so bad, they had him swing from his natural right side and then they flipped the film negative.
It's a whole thread -- Good, Bad and Ugly sports impersonations by Hollywood.

You're a Yankees fan, right?

I'm just trying to bask in the broadness of the respect for The Splinter. And yeah, that's a healthy take and not a bad idea.