Ted Williams

Ted Williams was a 17-time All-Star, two-time A.L. MVP, and won a pair of Triple Crowns during his 19 seasons with the Boston Red Sox. In 1941 (only his third season in the big leagues) he entered the last day of the season with a batting average of .3996. This would have been rounded up to .400, making him the first man to hit .400 since Bill Terry in 1930. His manager left the decision whether or not to play up to him. Williams opted to play in both games of the day’s doubleheader and risk losing his record. He got 6 hits in 8 at bats, raising his season average to .406. Williams chose to put his baseball career on hold and opt for service with the United States Marine Corps twice — serving as a fighter pilot during both World War II and in the Korean War. Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966, and during his Cooperstown speech he campaigned for the inclusion of great players from the Negro Leagues in the Hall of Fame. Five years later, the Hall of Fame welcomed Satchel Paige — the first Negro Leagues player to be enshrined in Cooperstown. Ted Williams was called “The Kid,” “The Splendid Splinter,” “Teddy Ballgame,” and “The Thumper.” Williams never sought acknowledgement from the fans or the press, but in the end he got it anyway — after all, he was the greatest hitter who ever lived.