He missed nearly 5 full seasons in his prime while serving in WW2 and Korea. Just imagine how many more home runs he would have had if there were no wars. Very brave fighter pilot.
Ted Williams was the best pure hitter in baseball history. I have met many Hall of Fame Baseball Players. Without a doubt, Ted Williams was the nicest and most humble player I ever had the pleasure to meet. He took the time to talk to my 12 year old nephew about hitting. He was a class act.
No one is entitled to anyone's time, and when you're famous, you can spend all your time donating to others who want a piece; that's why it makes it all the more special when someone like this does it. I have a 12 year old story, as well... maybe that's the magic number... Every week I would checkout Jim Palmer's "Pitching" book from the school library. One day I was buying baseballs at the sporting goods store in the mall and I hear the associate tell his buddy that Jim Palmer was going to be there until 3pm. Lo and behold, I look across the way and here comes Jim Palmer. Granted, this is about 15 years after his prime, and he probably didn't expect a kid who was barely alive when he retired from baseball to run up to him and ask for his autograph, so perhaps he was amused. He was gracious enough to give it to me. I stuttered out that I'd been reading his book and I asked if he could show me how to throw a curve ball because it was hard to tell from just pictures. Well he showed me the grip and the wrist motion and to this day I get on RUclips and tell the story. I'm sure he forgot about it as soon as it was over, but 30+ years later, I still get a kick out of telling people that Jim Palmer taught me how to throw a curve ball, and don't hold it against him.
Todays ball players are a bunch of arrogant a holes . Justin Verlander is one of the worst and even Kirk Gibson was horrible . We used to go to the Tigers games and get there early to catch fly balls that went over the wall during BP . One day there was a man with his Downs son and when Gibson came near them the dad asked for his autograph for his son and Gibson said you and your son can go to hell just leave me alone . From then on O couldn't stand him.
I got to know Ted late in his life while fishing Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick. He might have been brash as a younger man but his true qualities surfaced during those conversations I had with him on the river. He had good values and as I got to know him, I liked him. He was fun to converse with because he wasn't shy about showing his emotions.
@@jayrusnak It was a pleasure watching Ted fish because he was an example to me how to enjoy yourself. Ted genuinely enjoyed fishing for Atlantic salmon and it showed.
I saw him at the store and got him some juice then my mom made us both dinner he would always bring his doggo and then had a few beers n waved by as he drove avay
I didn't know this until I saw it on a RUclips video a few years ago, but when Ted got drafted for WWII and became a fighter pilot, he learned he had better than 20-20 vision, which goes a long way to explain why he was such a great fighter pilot and such a great hitter.
You must be living under a rock. TW often spoke with pride about his fighter pilot days in WWII ...and Korea. In Korea, he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire in Feb of 1953. He didn't eject for fear he would've lost his kneecaps in the process, and opted for a belly-landing. However, he had shot down four Soviet jets on one November day in 1952. Future astronaut & Senator John Glenn called him the best wing-man he ever had.
As John Wayne said to The Great Ted Williams: "I played those parts in the movies, but you did all those things in real life." Wayne and Williams were often compared to each other because of their brashness, height (6'5"), and 'swagger'. @@acousticshadow4032 Ted Williams was a REAL hero.
I believe Ted said the thing that made the big difference was his right eye was dominant. Also, he went to a lighter bat which gave him a split second longer to see the pitch (this is why cheaters cork bats to maintain desired shape but reduce the weight). Does anyone know if the longer bat Roberto Clemente got if he was unable to reach the outside pitch was heavier than his normal bat?
As a young teenager in the late 50’s, can you image, I was at Fenway watching my two baseball heroes, Williams and Berra. As a Sox’s fan, I did not like the Yanks but I will not forget watching, Williams, Jensen, Reynolds, Malzone, Mantle, Maris, Berra, Boyer and the other greats of those two teams of that time in American baseball playing on the same field. For an old guy in his late seventies it is still an up front memory.
In 1960, I watched Ted hit seven consecutive batting practice home runs out of the enormous playing field at the first Comiskey Park in Chicago. I was 13 then, and thought it was a big deal, but it was probably just a typical warmup for that amazing athlete. I had loved watching him since the year before, when I saw him playing pre-game catch with Pumpsie Green, the first Black player on a Bosox roster. That's when I knew Ted was not only the greatest player I ever saw, but also a great man. So great to be reminded of those memories. Thank you.
I was 10 yrs old that day at Fenway. our Little League team was attending the game. of course, being from the Boston area. every kid around admired the slugger. To this very day I can close my eyes and I'm there. Later Ted always put on a show at the Sportsmans' Show", and my father took me every year. Dad was a WW2 fighter pilot and so was Ted, so there was a strong connection there as well
@@lorettanericcio-bohlman567 Go back to sleep and stay in your little dream world of delusion.....As far as rest. I thank you for kind thoughts concerning my health but I entered into rest a long time ago through Jesus Christ. If you're awake you won't be woke
I've always been proud that I shared Ted Williams' birthday--Aug. 30. I grew up near Boston and would sometimes go see the Red Sox and play at Fenway. An unforgettable experience. There was simply no hitter who had the consistent elegance and power of the Splendid Splinter.
What he didn't throw his bat 20 feet in the air and stand at the plate watching it, when he ran the bases he didn't taught the other team by dancing around like a clown, this is when they had pride and respect for everyone at the stadium
No,matter what,he was one of the greatest,hitters of all time mad probably,the best ever!I was born in 1948,and saw him,a lot!Great,fisherman,and I love to fish!
Would have bee an epic MLB moment had he tipped his cap to acknowledge the hometown fans after nearly 20 years. Stubborn mule. God bless Teddy Ballgame.
@@BarneyHunter12 Beautiful moment. Him and Tony Gwynn especially... as a San Diego Padres season ticket holder, I got to see the two Padres share a moment for the ages.
What can a Fan of the Game. Say except Hey until now. Id never seen or even heard of this Time altering Moment in Baseball ⚾⚾. IT was in 1964, that My Dad gave Me my very first Baseball Mitt and got me involved in the Greatest Game. From then on, I was involved with it for Thirty Five years of Playing and staying envolved with it. So this Clip is a reminder of How spectacular and Special the Game Had always been. As for Ted Williams and His immortal image. There was No One Better or Greater than He in His Era. Thank You Again for the Reminder.
One of my clients during WW2 roomed with Ted Williams for Flight School at Amherst College. Said he was a down to earth guy, friendly, no pretenses or airs or attitudes, just did his job like everybody else. My client, now 94, flew off carriers on patrol looking for the enemy fleet. Days of flying and seeing nothing. Finally they saw a fleet and all hell broke loose, fighters going up and fighters going down, my man dove at a destroyer, strafed the tower and knocked it out and the other guys hit the engine room. He said he checked his plane when he landed on the carrier and it was all shot up. THESE GUYS SAVED OUR LIVES!
Oooooh! I so miss Boston baseball - even though I never had the opportunity to see Ted Williams I have so many memories of Fenway Park -all the greats and not-so-greats - but the atmosphere? WOW! Oh how I wish for a return!
yes simply amazing what a stroke he had his swing is like a piece of art or a moving song awesome simply awesome there goes the greatest hitter who ever lived
The way I see it, Ted did make his peace with the Boston fans later in life... when he DID tip his hat on Ted Williams Day in 1991. I was born in '67, so that was good enough for me.
Do you folks think Ted had Ptsd? And that maybe he was not always super crowd oriented because of that? He was a great fighter pilot both with piston types and early jets as I understand and saw alot of combat in two wars. Came back for Korean War at the height of his baseball fame he took off to defend our soldiers who were desperately in retreat. To me he was a hero for that stuff more than baseball. He seemed tough as nails!!
Ted was either bi-polar or had some other kind of mental illness which resulted in his very short fuse. His children all said in interviews something to that effect.
People need to read the book: "Seasons to Remember: The Way It Was in American Sports 1945-1960" By Curt Gowdy. Fantastic read. Not a long book at all but it shows the old times before super huge salaries. When athletes loved the game. Curt Gowdy knew Ted Williams personally. He has a good read on Ted. And of course many others from back in those days.
Don't for one minute believe that owners AND players have not always looked at baseball as a business. What do you think the Black Sox scandal was about.
A baseball card set was dedicated to him in 1959. I had some and which I had them now. Ted was an amazing talented professional and a true American patriot who served in WW2. Not too many are capable of batting .400 like him.
His son john Henry would come help coach my high school team in VT. He lent me his 35” Easton one game and I hit 2 triples with it that game. Never will forget that.
The last series of the season was on the road (either Washington or New York, I don’t recall which) but Ted was not planning to go. Broadcaster Curt Gowdy was the only other person who knew that. Under 10,000 people were at the game. Today you’d meet over 100,000 who were there!
Most everyone knows that Ted Williams was a military aviator. He was John Glenn’s wingman in Korea. They flew many combat missions together and Glenn gave him much praise as a pilot. I heard that William’s commanding officer was once asked if Williams was as good a pilot as he was a hitter. His response was: NO ONE has EVER been that good a pilot.
When I was 14 yo my coach showed a film of TW to teach batting technique. It sunk in. I hit 349 that year. He, Mantle and Clemente were my idols then. TW's last at bat was unforgettable.
Actually, Producing would mean Born and Raised or trained or went to school there....not plucked up..Thank San Diego for building him so well that teams took notice...
@@robertboydiiido-bolsa7531 there's no harm in acknowledging their contributions either, it's like saying only the Chicago Bulls get to benefit from Michael Jordan and North Carolina had no part in making him the player that he became which is patently false.
""The papers said that the other players, and even the umpires on the field, begged him to come out and acknowledge us in some way, but he never did and he did not now. Gods do not answer letters." - John Updike, "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu", Oct. 22, 1960.
williams missed 5 years in his prime due to world war II and the korean war. he'd miss another season's worth of games due to injuries, and he still hit 521 home runs along with a lifetime .344 batting average. he could have challenged babe ruth in home runs with those 6 extra years.
I understand why hitters like Williams and Mike Schmidt were great home run hitters. If you look at their smooth , fluid swings at the plate, you can see how they made the ball travel so far- outta here !!!
Did You Know ? His first at bat as a Major League Ball Player with Boston was a Home Run. It was Spring Training and his first time up in A Boston Red Sox. I believe it was at a College ball Field in the Boston area.I remember reading about this somewhere many years ago.
That's hard to believe. A spring training game in the north would've been very late in the exhibition season, just before the regular season starts. He would've had many ABs before that. And he was sent back to the minors during his first spring training, which would've been well before they headed north. Just doesn't seem to add up.
Ted Williams had an American trailblazer for his wingman in Korea. Just some guy named John Glenn. Got that tidbit of info from his museum in Hernando, Florida. The museum's name is "The Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame."
In 1949 he had an on base streak of 84 games, still the record, no one has come close other than DiMaggio the year of his 56 game hitting streak, he had 74 consecutive games on base that year
Importantly, this was not the last game of the season. They were going on the road the next day but Williams didn't travel with the team. What player, though, doesn't want his last hit to be a home run. Credit goes to Teddy Ballgame.
OK, OK It's been said that every Red Sox fan that was a young adult in 1960 will say he was at the game. Well I WAS at the game and it was a great story. It was my first year of law school and the school year had just begun. So I had a major decision to make. Go to class or go to Fenway. Fenway won the argument. I got to the game in the 7th inning, walked into the bleachers for nothing and as I was looking for a good seat, I SAW MY BROTHER! He was going to medical school at the time and didn't want to miss what we both perceived might well be Teddy Boy's last baseball appearance ever. My brother told me that Ted had hit a long fly to right earlier in the game but the wind held it up. Well, it's ancient history now, but Ted came up in the bottom of the eighth and did what all 10,000 in Fenway were hoping for. I'm 84 and have been fortunate to see many great sports moments but that home run in the bottom of the eighth is at the top of my sports ladders. What a thrilling and unforgettable moment!!!
During WWII while a Marine Aviator he ended up as a flight instructor. Called back into service for Korea he flew combat missions in an F80 (?) and actually crash landed once
I saw Ted Williams pinch hit a single at the 1960 All Star Game at Yankee Stadium. I also saw Stan Musial pinch hit a home run. Willie Mays was by far the most dominant player on the field that day.
It's pretty crazy that only 10,000 people were there for that game, these days it'd have not only been a sellout, it would have been the priciest game of the season.
That was a typical Fenway Park attendance in those days. Boston hadn't contended for the pennant since 1949 and wouldn't again until 1967. A huge difference from today where a sell-out is practically the norm.
As far as I'm concerned Ted rates ahead of even Cobb, Ruth, and Gehrig as greatest LH hitter ever. None of those guys ever saw a slider, the shift, a black pitcher, or many pitches that went faster than 85 mph. Also he was pretty slow. If he had Cobb's speed, he probably hits .380 every year. Also--If Ted doesn't miss 4+ years of his prime he sets every record there is. Not to mention Fenway was a deathtrap for a left-handed power hitter. If he plays in Yankee Stadium, he probably hits 900 homers.
Dizzy Dean, Rapid Robert Feller...people weren't built any differently in 1951 than 1921-31. Fanatical players had been staying up nights trying to make baseballs do weird things since 1870 anyway. Bible says "there's nothing new under the sun." Point is, I think people knew how to make balls move by '20s.
@@teller1290 They didn't pitch the same way. Pitchers didn't throw max effort all the time because they knew they were going to be called on to go 9 every time out. Maybe they all could have hit 95 like everyone can today but we'll never know. Fact is, they didn't try. And it's a documented fact that the slider didn't come into widespread use until the 50's.
@@jayrusnak damn, everyone should've been hitting .350 annually. No big deal, huh? Anyone ever compared avg batting avg over generation with avg from other generations?
Ted Williams loved the outdoors and he was a great hunter. I know a young man and have watched him from an early age and he loves hunting more than anything and he didn’t even have to try in high school to bat 400 or better. He could flat out hit the cover off the ball. I wonder if this is why Ted Williams could see the threads on the ball?😊
Ted played for MY TEAM'S RIVAL, HATED WHINERS, WOEFUL & WONDERING HOW it took 86 years Boston Red Sox ...... that error in assignment of a class, Patriot & God blessed player ..... did not tip the cap, did not grin or gaze at the Opposing Pitcher - he was better than that - Liked him despite his being on Boston - his number #9 .... like Maris, Hit Lefty, Like Maris ! Did it well this game of Baseball - for years and shear all around talent ! DiMaggio and he were premiere players in that age. GBjj
The man had class Even at his last at bat ever he wouldn’t show up a pitcher or his opponents He just did his job and did it well and left as he came- a TRUE CLASSY PROFESSIONAL- Today’s players should take a page out of his book
That’s not why he didn’t tip his cap. It was because the Fenway faithful bood him during a game where he struck out and committed an error and from then on he swore he would never tip his cap to them again.
When Williams first came to Boston, he was so well disposed to the public that he would tip his cap by lifting it from the button. But the next few years saw him vilified as a draft dodger by the local press and jeered by the hometown fans. And being Ted Williams, once he soured on the media and the crowd, there was no turning back.
@@writerconsidered Williams was castigated in the Boston press at the outbreak of World War 2 because he claimed a deferment as the sole support of his mother. He successfully applied to his draft board for reclassification from 1-A to 3-A. The media in Boston turned against him and he received a flood of hostile mail. As a result the Quaker Oats company dropped his sponsorship contract. Williams never forgot this treatment. In fact, it helped define his attitude toward the Boston press. I'll spare you the names of some of the hacks who led this print media campaign. They really don't deserve to be remembered.
The dude seemed like pure class. No showboating running around the bases, just a brisk trot around the bases and then he disappears into the dugout. Now I know today’s ball players are wired differently, but guys like Acuna are showboats. Man, act like you’ve been there before. Whatever, I guess. I have accepted how players today act, but I can’t say I like it.
Ted was furious with the crowds for cheering him when he hit well but booing him when he struck out. That's why he refused to come out for a curtain call or raise his hat.
Amazing ! Someone used a camera to record a motion picture of a ballgame in 1960, had the film developed soon after, I assume, then the movie was not watched until some sixty years had passed ! Weird
... I caught the last half of the game on the radio after school that day --- it wasn't on TV. ... And for the record, Ted was not just a home run hitter: he hit a lot of doubles... a high B. A., too.
@@kvernon1 Maybe his greatest accomplishment was in 1957, when he hit .388......at the age of 38. Not many leg hits that year, to be sure. Just an incredible talent.
The thing that has always made me wonder......This is William's last game. One of the greatest players in the game. Yet there were only 10,000 people at the game. I don't understand that at all
He missed nearly 5 full seasons in his prime while serving in WW2 and Korea. Just imagine how many more home runs he would have had if there were no wars. Very brave fighter pilot.
About 200?
John Glenn's wingman.
He missed about 700 games. 1943-1945 were prime years.
easily would have made the 700 club
Just think, he missed 5 seasons in his prime as a pitcher, probably missed 500 games. He would be in the 900 club. Oh wait, that's the other guy.
Ted Williams was the best pure hitter in baseball history. I have met many Hall of Fame Baseball Players. Without a doubt, Ted Williams was the nicest and most humble player I ever had the pleasure to meet. He took the time to talk to my 12 year old nephew about hitting. He was a class act.
No one is entitled to anyone's time, and when you're famous, you can spend all your time donating to others who want a piece; that's why it makes it all the more special when someone like this does it. I have a 12 year old story, as well... maybe that's the magic number... Every week I would checkout Jim Palmer's "Pitching" book from the school library. One day I was buying baseballs at the sporting goods store in the mall and I hear the associate tell his buddy that Jim Palmer was going to be there until 3pm. Lo and behold, I look across the way and here comes Jim Palmer. Granted, this is about 15 years after his prime, and he probably didn't expect a kid who was barely alive when he retired from baseball to run up to him and ask for his autograph, so perhaps he was amused. He was gracious enough to give it to me. I stuttered out that I'd been reading his book and I asked if he could show me how to throw a curve ball because it was hard to tell from just pictures. Well he showed me the grip and the wrist motion and to this day I get on RUclips and tell the story. I'm sure he forgot about it as soon as it was over, but 30+ years later, I still get a kick out of telling people that Jim Palmer taught me how to throw a curve ball, and don't hold it against him.
Only two I can think of in his class were Ty Cobb and Shoeless Joe Jackson
Todays ball players are a bunch of arrogant a holes . Justin Verlander is one of the worst and even Kirk Gibson was horrible . We used to go to the Tigers games and get there early to catch fly balls that went over the wall during BP . One day there was a man with his Downs son and when Gibson came near them the dad asked for his autograph for his son and Gibson said you and your son can go to hell just leave me alone . From then on O couldn't stand him.
@@kevin7151 Rodgers Hornsby hit .400 six times.
@@oldude979 excellent point, I stand corrected. Have a good weekend
I got to know Ted late in his life while fishing Atlantic salmon in New Brunswick. He might have been brash as a younger man but his true qualities surfaced during those conversations I had with him on the river. He had good values and as I got to know him, I liked him. He was fun to converse with because he wasn't shy about showing his emotions.
I just read his biography and it seems if you got to hang out with him while fishing that was him at his best.
@@jayrusnak It was a pleasure watching Ted fish because he was an example to me how to enjoy yourself. Ted genuinely enjoyed fishing for Atlantic salmon and it showed.
If I had to choose between watching Ted play baseball or going fishing with him, I'd pick fishing every time.
I saw him at the store and got him some juice then my mom made us both dinner he would always bring his doggo and then had a few beers n waved by as he drove avay
Bass pro shops
I didn't know this until I saw it on a RUclips video a few years ago, but when Ted got drafted for WWII and became a fighter pilot, he learned he had better than 20-20 vision, which goes a long way to explain why he was such a great fighter pilot and such a great hitter.
You must be living under a rock. TW often spoke with pride about his fighter pilot days in WWII ...and Korea. In Korea, he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire in Feb of 1953. He didn't eject for fear he would've lost his kneecaps in the process, and opted for a belly-landing. However, he had shot down four Soviet jets on one November day in 1952. Future astronaut & Senator John Glenn called him the best wing-man he ever had.
As John Wayne said to The Great Ted Williams: "I played those parts in the movies, but you did all those things in real life." Wayne and Williams were often compared to each other because of their brashness, height (6'5"), and 'swagger'. @@acousticshadow4032 Ted Williams was a REAL hero.
@@acousticshadow4032do you need to insult people to show how smart you are?
I believe Ted said the thing that made the big difference was his right eye was dominant. Also, he went to a lighter bat which gave him a split second longer to see the pitch (this is why cheaters cork bats to maintain desired shape but reduce the weight). Does anyone know if the longer bat Roberto Clemente got if he was unable to reach the outside pitch was heavier than his normal bat?
I've read that Williams had 20-10 vision.
Absolutely Ted Williams was the greatest hitter who ever lived… …The Splendid Splinter‼️👍🏽❤️Ted’s swing was sooo sweet😘
As a young teenager in the late 50’s, can you image, I was at Fenway watching my two baseball heroes, Williams and Berra. As a Sox’s fan, I did not like the Yanks but I will not forget watching, Williams, Jensen, Reynolds, Malzone, Mantle, Maris, Berra, Boyer and the other greats of those two teams of that time in American baseball playing on the same field. For an old guy in his late seventies it is still an up front memory.
Happy birthday
A great story.
Great story, best of health to you sir
@@Gregory-sm9pfthank you and the best to you. Regards Ken
@@kenmarsh2668 👍
There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.
And greatest ass hole
@@banking-cartelmedia-cartel7206 he wasn't a asshole that belongs to Cobb
Banking-Cartel Media-cartel that is Cobb he was a great man
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
@@williamsuberalles9558 🤡🤡🤡
Ted being Ted. Wouldn't want him to be any other way. Greatest hitter of all time.... Period.
In 1960, I watched Ted hit seven consecutive batting practice home runs out of the enormous playing field at the first Comiskey Park in Chicago. I was 13 then, and thought it was a big deal, but it was probably just a typical warmup for that amazing athlete. I had loved watching him since the year before, when I saw him playing pre-game catch with Pumpsie Green, the first Black player on a Bosox roster. That's when I knew Ted was not only the greatest player I ever saw, but also a great man. So great to be reminded of those memories. Thank you.
I love Ted Williams. I'm so glad this homer is on film.
Only America could produce a Ted Williams. The greatest hitter who ever lived and quite a guy!!
I was 10 yrs old that day at Fenway. our Little League team was attending the game. of course, being from the Boston area. every kid around admired the slugger. To this very day I can close my eyes and I'm there. Later Ted always put on a show at the Sportsmans' Show", and my father took me every year. Dad was a WW2 fighter pilot and so was Ted, so there was a strong connection there as well
The days when humility meant more than vanity.
When sports were watchable.
@@hillsofwi And not woke!
@@alt777-in9lwgive it a rest. One can be humble and evolve
@@lorettanericcio-bohlman567 Go back to sleep and stay in your little dream world of delusion.....As far as rest. I thank you for kind thoughts concerning my health but I entered into rest a long time ago through Jesus Christ. If you're awake you won't be woke
True. One can also be humble and DEVOLVE, as well.
A true American original. RIP Ted Williams
One of the great moments in baseball history.
I've always been proud that I shared Ted Williams' birthday--Aug. 30. I grew up near Boston and would sometimes go see the Red Sox and play at Fenway. An unforgettable experience. There was simply no hitter who had the consistent elegance and power of the Splendid Splinter.
Always liked I shared his name. Dad was a big baseball fan....obviously.
I was so glad that I got to see him play. I was 10 years old and saw him play at municipal stadium cleveland.
Watching Williams swing is beauty. Gives me chills even today. He was the greatest hitter who ever played the game.
What he didn't throw his bat 20 feet in the air and stand at the plate watching it, when he ran the bases he didn't taught the other team by dancing around like a clown, this is when they had pride and respect for everyone at the stadium
Exactly!
No,matter what,he was one of the greatest,hitters of all time mad probably,the best ever!I was born in 1948,and saw him,a lot!Great,fisherman,and I love to fish!
Arguably the greatest pure hitter in Major League Baseball history.
2nd best.
@@donjennings9034 well, I said "arguably." Personally, I think Babe Ruth was the best.
@@derkardinal9781 Yeah, I know you did, that was my argument. lol I've got the Splendid Splinter right in between Ruth and Gehrig.
Would have bee an epic MLB moment had he tipped his cap to acknowledge the hometown fans after nearly 20 years. Stubborn mule. God bless Teddy Ballgame.
He did finally did do it in the 1999 All Star Game. In front of the Fenway Faithful.
@@BarneyHunter12
Beautiful moment. Him and Tony Gwynn especially... as a San Diego Padres season ticket holder, I got to see the two Padres share a moment for the ages.
Ted Williams is the best hitter in Baseball history.
He was who he was - not the warmest and fuzziest - just Ted. But one HELL of a ball player! And a good man.
What can a Fan of the Game. Say except Hey until now. Id never seen or even heard of this Time altering Moment in Baseball ⚾⚾.
IT was in 1964, that My Dad gave Me my very first Baseball Mitt and got me involved in the Greatest Game.
From then on, I was involved with it for Thirty Five years of Playing and staying envolved with it.
So this Clip is a reminder of How spectacular and Special the Game Had always been. As for Ted Williams and His immortal image. There was No One Better or Greater than He in His Era. Thank You Again for the Reminder.
Best pure hitter in history
Mickey Mantle said the same thing about Williams
I hope the person to whom I gave my Ted Williams' autographed baseball cherishes it more than ever.
One of my clients during WW2 roomed with Ted Williams for Flight School at Amherst College. Said he was a down to earth guy, friendly, no pretenses or airs or attitudes, just did his job like everybody else. My client, now 94, flew off carriers on patrol looking for the enemy fleet. Days of flying and seeing nothing. Finally they saw a fleet and all hell broke loose, fighters going up and fighters going down, my man dove at a destroyer, strafed the tower and knocked it out and the other guys hit the engine room. He said he checked his plane when he landed on the carrier and it was all shot up. THESE GUYS SAVED OUR LIVES!
Oooooh! I so miss Boston baseball - even though I never had the opportunity to see Ted Williams I have so many memories of Fenway Park -all the greats and not-so-greats - but the atmosphere? WOW! Oh how I wish for a return!
Funny how a 2:37 video can cause major goosebumpitis !!!
yes simply amazing what a stroke he had his swing is like a piece of art or a moving song awesome simply awesome there goes the greatest hitter who ever lived
The way I see it, Ted did make his peace with the Boston fans later in life... when he DID tip his hat on Ted Williams Day in 1991. I was born in '67, so that was good enough for me.
Do you folks think Ted had Ptsd? And that maybe he was not always super crowd oriented because of that? He was a great fighter pilot both with piston types and early jets as I understand and saw alot of combat in two wars. Came back for Korean War at the height of his baseball fame he took off to defend our soldiers who were desperately in retreat. To me he was a hero for that stuff more than baseball. He seemed tough as nails!!
He did not see combat during World War II. He got a lot of airtime though. So he was prepared for the Korean War.
He set the high mark for Aerial Gunnery where he taught Pilots how to shoot during WWII. And I think that record might still stand.
Ted was either bi-polar or had some other kind of mental illness which resulted in his very short fuse. His children all said in interviews something to that effect.
Ted was the man John Wayne wanted to be
I agree
Williams was in a class by himself; I SWEAR, the man was BORN to hit!!Thanh-you Ted!!! R.I.P.🇺🇲🥰🇺🇲🥰🇺🇲🥰🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
People need to read the book: "Seasons to Remember: The Way It Was in American Sports 1945-1960" By Curt Gowdy.
Fantastic read. Not a long book at all but it shows the old times before super huge salaries. When athletes loved the game.
Curt Gowdy knew Ted Williams personally. He has a good read on Ted. And of course many others from back in those days.
Don't for one minute believe that owners AND players have not always looked at baseball as a business. What do you think the Black Sox scandal was about.
Imagine being the best hitter of all time, arguably, and still missing 5 of your prime years due to military service
I would not argue.
He was a true American,hero,we’re are they today!Draft dodgers,scum,we all owe this country a debt!
A baseball card set was dedicated to him in 1959. I had some and which I had them now. Ted was an amazing talented professional and a true American patriot who served in WW2. Not too many are capable of batting .400 like him.
I had some of those cards. That's how I first learned about Williams.
Tha hitting over 400 in a season may never be broken
As you know, nobody has since him.
I have the set all but one card if you want to buy it.
I have his 1958 displayed prominently. Season average .388. Career average .350. And turning 40 shortly.
*Ted Williams was the best fighter pilot we ever had.*
My Dad knew Ted from MAW Marine Air Wing. Caught his attention at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore pre game warmups 1959.
His son john Henry would come help coach my high school team in VT. He lent me his 35” Easton one game and I hit 2 triples with it that game. Never will forget that.
I heard, that in his prime, he could see the threads on the ball when it was coming. The greatest hitter of all time!
20/10 vision
He told Tony Gwynn he could smell it when he fouled tip
20-10 vision
I saw Stan the Man hit many home runs out of Sportsman Park. He hit it out of the park to Broadway AVE.... Kenny Boyer gave us thrills too.....
Interesting! I never heard of Musial as hitting the ball really far, unlike Williams & especially Mantle!
I had a crush on Ted Williams. He was so good-looking. I was 12 years old at the time and a Yankee fan.
I love his facial expression and what he says at 1:07 lol. Great humble guy, loved the game.
Ted was many things, but humble about his baseball ability wasn't one of them. 😀
@@jayrusnak
Yes, he actually was.
@@TheBatugan77 Which is why he would be in the batting cages shouting out how he was the greatest hitter ever? Uh huh.
i got to see ted williams play in a game in his final season. my dad took my brother and i to our first red sox game, i was 10 years old.
The last series of the season was on the road (either Washington or New York, I don’t recall which) but Ted was not planning to go. Broadcaster Curt Gowdy was the only other person who knew that. Under 10,000 people were at the game. Today you’d meet over 100,000 who were there!
Most everyone knows that Ted Williams was a military aviator. He was John Glenn’s wingman in Korea. They flew many combat missions together and Glenn gave him much praise as a pilot. I heard that William’s commanding officer was once asked if Williams was as good a pilot as he was a hitter. His response was: NO ONE has EVER been that good a pilot.
An incredible piece of baseball history here. And a year later some guy named Maris hit a historic home run of his own.
Off this same pitcher, Jack Fisher, right?
@@chasbodaniels1744 Maris hit homer 61 off of Tracy Stallard
@@Classicrocker6119 Yes, but Fisher gave up Rogers #60.
When I was 14 yo my coach showed a film of TW to teach batting technique. It sunk in. I hit 349 that year. He, Mantle and Clemente were my idols then. TW's last at bat was unforgettable.
As a kid I watched that game and will never forget that homer. Seems Boston has a way of producing pro sports GOATs.
Nah. They just got all the $$$ so they buy the best players
Actually, Producing would mean Born and Raised or trained or went to school there....not plucked up..Thank San Diego for building him so well that teams took notice...
@@JessCorey Then we have to thank Perry Sound for the hockey GOAT and French Lick, Indiana for basketball's greatest, but they all played for Boston.
@@robertboydiiido-bolsa7531 there's no harm in acknowledging their contributions either, it's like saying only the Chicago Bulls get to benefit from Michael Jordan and North Carolina had no part in making him the player that he became which is patently false.
Oh good, you were there.
So did it hit what is today’s RED seat?
""The papers said that the other players, and even the umpires on the field, begged him to come out and acknowledge us in some way, but he never did and he did not now. Gods do not answer letters." - John Updike, "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu", Oct. 22, 1960.
williams missed 5 years in his prime due to world war II and the korean war. he'd miss another season's worth of games due to injuries, and he still hit 521 home runs along with a lifetime .344 batting average. he could have challenged babe ruth in home runs with those 6 extra years.
No doubt about it.
When you know and respect the game. What a guy...
I understand why hitters like Williams and Mike Schmidt were great home run hitters. If you look at their smooth , fluid swings at the plate, you can see how they made the ball travel so far- outta here !!!
Hey Jack Fisher! You spoke at a B'nai Brith event somewhere in Queens during your time with the Mets. How time flies.
Ted Williams is a top 5 greatest athletes in any sport to come up short..No championships
Ty Cobb, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Dan Marino, Barry Sanders, Charles Barkley to name a few.
@@ianreed9571 ... Gilbert Pereault, Marcel Dionne...
Mike Trout will soon be added to that list
Did You Know ? His first at bat as a Major League Ball Player with Boston was a Home Run. It was Spring Training and his first time up in A Boston Red Sox. I believe it was at a College ball Field in the Boston area.I remember reading about this somewhere many years ago.
That's hard to believe. A spring training game in the north would've been very late in the exhibition season, just before the regular season starts. He would've had many ABs before that. And he was sent back to the minors during his first spring training, which would've been well before they headed north. Just doesn't seem to add up.
Ted Williams had an American trailblazer for his wingman in Korea. Just some guy named John Glenn. Got that tidbit of info from his museum in Hernando, Florida. The museum's name is "The Ted Williams Hitters Hall of Fame."
In 1949 he had an on base streak of 84 games, still the record, no one has come close other than DiMaggio the year of his 56 game hitting streak, he had 74 consecutive games on base that year
Ted showed that it is only wise to be not afraid of the odds
Importantly, this was not the last game of the season. They were going on the road the next day but Williams didn't travel with the team. What player, though, doesn't want his last hit to be a home run. Credit goes to Teddy Ballgame.
OK, OK It's been said that every Red Sox fan that was a young adult in 1960 will say he was at the game. Well I WAS at the game and it was a great story. It was my first year of law school and the school year had just begun. So I had a major decision to make. Go to class or go to Fenway. Fenway won the argument. I got to the game in the 7th inning, walked into the bleachers for nothing and as I was looking for a good seat, I SAW MY BROTHER! He was going to medical school at the time and didn't want to miss what we both perceived might well be Teddy Boy's last baseball appearance ever. My brother told me that Ted had hit a long fly to right earlier in the game but the wind held it up. Well, it's ancient history now, but Ted came up in the bottom of the eighth and did what all 10,000 in Fenway were hoping for. I'm 84 and have been fortunate to see many great sports moments but that home run in the bottom of the eighth is at the top of my sports ladders. What a thrilling and unforgettable moment!!!
John Updike wrote about his last game in a New Yorker article titled, ' *Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu* .' An excellent read with a great closing sentence.
During WWII while a Marine Aviator he ended up as a flight instructor. Called back into service for Korea he flew combat missions in an F80 (?) and actually crash landed once
F9F Panther jet
The key to hitting is speed and get a pitch to hit. Ted Williams
I saw Ted Williams pinch hit a single at the 1960 All Star Game at Yankee Stadium. I also saw Stan Musial pinch hit a home run. Willie Mays was by far the most dominant player on the field that day.
The greatest hitter of all time as far as I'm concerned. Ted himself would have said it was Joe Jackson though, that's just the man that he was.
My nostalgia meter just blew up!
Look at that form. My god .
It's pretty crazy that only 10,000 people were there for that game, these days it'd have not only been a sellout, it would have been the priciest game of the season.
That was a typical Fenway Park attendance in those days. Boston hadn't contended for the pennant since 1949 and wouldn't again until 1967. A huge difference from today where a sell-out is practically the norm.
😮 The Splendid Splinter
That was class all the way!
As far as I'm concerned Ted rates ahead of even Cobb, Ruth, and Gehrig as greatest LH hitter ever. None of those guys ever saw a slider, the shift, a black pitcher, or many pitches that went faster than 85 mph. Also he was pretty slow. If he had Cobb's speed, he probably hits .380 every year. Also--If Ted doesn't miss 4+ years of his prime he sets every record there is. Not to mention Fenway was a deathtrap for a left-handed power hitter. If he plays in Yankee Stadium, he probably hits 900 homers.
Good point on missing 4 years of his prime to military service what kind of records he have
@@seanohare5488 five
Dizzy Dean, Rapid Robert Feller...people weren't built any differently in 1951 than 1921-31. Fanatical players had been staying up nights trying to make baseballs do weird things since 1870 anyway. Bible says "there's nothing new under the sun." Point is, I think people knew how to make balls move by '20s.
@@teller1290 They didn't pitch the same way. Pitchers didn't throw max effort all the time because they knew they were going to be called on to go 9 every time out. Maybe they all could have hit 95 like everyone can today but we'll never know. Fact is, they didn't try. And it's a documented fact that the slider didn't come into widespread use until the 50's.
@@jayrusnak damn, everyone should've been hitting .350 annually. No big deal, huh? Anyone ever compared avg batting avg over generation with avg from other generations?
The perfect end to a great career by the best hitter I ever saw.
Ted Williams loved the outdoors and he was a great hunter. I know a young man and have watched him from an early age and he loves hunting more than anything and he didn’t even have to try in high school to bat 400 or better. He could flat out hit the cover off the ball. I wonder if this is why Ted Williams could see the threads on the ball?😊
he had better than 20-20 vision
A true American hero!
After joe louis
He Was the BEST EVER !!!
I read that the catcher shook hands with him and told him what to look for. A parting gift out of respect for a legend.
Ted played for MY TEAM'S RIVAL, HATED WHINERS, WOEFUL & WONDERING HOW it took 86 years Boston Red Sox ...... that error in assignment of a class, Patriot & God blessed player ..... did not tip the cap, did not grin or gaze at the Opposing Pitcher - he was better than that - Liked him despite his being on Boston - his number #9 .... like Maris, Hit Lefty, Like Maris ! Did it well this game of Baseball - for years and shear all around talent ! DiMaggio and he were premiere players in that age. GBjj
The man had class Even at his last at bat ever he wouldn’t show up a pitcher or his opponents He just did his job and did it well and left as he came- a TRUE CLASSY PROFESSIONAL- Today’s players should take a page out of his book
That’s not why he didn’t tip his cap. It was because the Fenway faithful bood him during a game where he struck out and committed an error and from then on he swore he would never tip his cap to them again.
@@timpmurph71
Nothing whatsoever to do with what he said.
He was one cantankerous son of gun. Maybe had a good reason, I don’t know. But he was the greatest hitter that ever played the game of baseball.
When Williams first came to Boston, he was so well disposed to the public that he would tip his cap by lifting it from the button. But the next few years saw him vilified as a draft dodger by the local press and jeered by the hometown fans. And being Ted Williams, once he soured on the media and the crowd, there was no turning back.
Wait what? Draft dodger? The man spent 3 yrs in WW2 and 2 yrs in Korea. What are you talking about?
@@writerconsidered Williams was castigated in the Boston press at the outbreak of World War 2 because he claimed a deferment as the sole support of his mother. He successfully applied to his draft board for reclassification from 1-A to 3-A. The media in Boston turned against him and he received a flood of hostile mail. As a result the Quaker Oats company dropped his sponsorship contract. Williams never forgot this treatment. In fact, it helped define his attitude toward the Boston press. I'll spare you the names of some of the hacks who led this print media campaign. They really don't deserve to be remembered.
@@writerconsidered and then I think they took his deferment away, leading to his volunteering.
WTF are you talking about? He fought in not just one but TWO fuckin' wars.
As if he didn't do enough in his life to deserve honor, he had much disdain for the media. Yet another reason to admire the guy.
I’ve always wondered if he didn’t want to tip his cap or come out for a curtain call because he was tearing up and didn’t want to admit it
Nah, Ted was always ...eccentric.
The dude seemed like pure class. No showboating running around the bases, just a brisk trot around the bases and then he disappears into the dugout. Now I know today’s ball players are wired differently, but guys like Acuna are showboats. Man, act like you’ve been there before. Whatever, I guess. I have accepted how players today act, but I can’t say I like it.
greatest hitter of all time .I was just a little too young to see him play
Ted was furious with the crowds for cheering him when he hit well but booing him when he struck out. That's why he refused to come out for a curtain call or raise his hat.
I am shocked that fo d his last home game EVER, the Stadium wasn't sold out. Wow
I got to see him play in Boston...I feel priviliged, and I'm not a Red Sox fan...
Saw him in 1960 against the old Washington Senators. I grew up in Washington . I think he hit 2 singles that day
Amazing ! Someone used a camera to record a motion picture of a ballgame in 1960, had the film developed soon after, I assume,
then the movie was not watched until some sixty years had passed ! Weird
Bob Costas did a good impersonation of Ted . He was great .
I'd like to see the entire game on RUclips.
... I caught the last half of the game on the radio after school that day --- it wasn't on TV. ... And for the record, Ted was not just a home run hitter: he hit a lot of doubles... a high B. A., too.
Williams retired with the highest OBP in history, and the second highest slugging % in history. Babe Ruth is second in OBP and first in slugging %.
He was a great hitter, not just a great home run hitter. His LIFETIME batting average -- for the years from 1939-1960 -- was .344!
@@kvernon1 Maybe his greatest accomplishment was in 1957, when he hit .388......at the age of 38. Not many leg hits that year, to be sure. Just an incredible talent.
So dope how he never tips his hat
It's Ted Williams last game ever and the ball park was not packed? That just sounds disturbing and so wrong of fans. It should have been packed
I agree Boston fans may not have liked Williams personality but you have to admire his hitting prowess some say the greatest cold hard facts
People did not know it was his last time until that day.
It was a mid-week day game.
The Sox weren't that good then so that didn't help. It was only after 1967 that things changed.
@@alt777-in9lw1967 Impossible Dream Season opened the floodgates or should I say turnstiles.
I love Ted but that's actually sad that he couldn't do it that time.
❤ THE HUMBLE GREATNESS
This, that, AND the other ???!! How could it be the other ??!!?
The thing that has always made me wonder......This is William's last game. One of the greatest players in the game. Yet there were only 10,000 people at the game. I don't understand that at all
September 29, 1960, was a Thursday, and it was a day game.
Kind of pathetic really
@@seanohare5488 pathetic that 35000 people back then were not in a position to take time off from work and school to attend a baseball game?
Lousy weather that day.
@@TheRealLaughingGravy Plus, the Sox were terrible at the time
Got any triples? I love watching triples!
Definitely!👍
The Thumper. I still believe that Williams was the greatest natural hitter in the history of the game. I've never seen his equal.