Red Sox Great Ted Williams Dies Fri Jul 5,12:51 PM ET CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. (AP) - Ted Williams, the Boston Red Sox revered and sometimes reviled "Splendid Splinter" and baseball's last .400 hitter, has died at age 83. Williams, who suffered a series of strokes and congestive heart failure in recent years, was taken Friday to Citrus County Memorial Hospital "where he was pronounced deceased," said sheriff's department spokesman Lt. Joe Eckstein.
He probably did not want to live and see the greedy owners and greedy players destroy the game he helped make famous. RIP Splinter ! DaDakota
He was the Greatest Hitter Of All Time. Imagine the numbers he could have established had he not missed four years to the wars. The man was Respected greatly by hitters. I remember watching a show and he was on a panel with a bunch of players, like Gwynn, Aaron, Molitor, etc... And whenever he spoke they ALL just shut up and looked at him like he was imparting infinite wisdon. Amazing to see. Hell, how many other people can win a Triple Crown during one year and NOT win the MVP? LOL
this is so sad, Ted is my favorite player, and I have never seen the guy play. I need to go buy a red sox hat. Man my day is shot RIP
Once read a story about Teddy Ballgame, which I will paraphrase... Seems the Splendid Splinter was talking to a reporter about hitting, and (as he was wont to do) waxing eloquent about his own incredible talent, and he mentioned to the reporter that his eyes were his secret. In fact, Teddy went so far as to say that his eyes were so good that he knew where he hit every ball. The reporter seemed unimpressed, as most hitters could recall if they hit a particular pitch to left center, or down the right field foulline, but Williams corrected the writer...Not where in the park he hit the ball, but where, exactly, on the ball...He claimed to be able to tell where on the little white sphere (sort of) his cylindrical bat made contact. The reporter was understandably sceptical, so Williams offered to prove it. Now, understand, this was years and years after Williams had retired, so he was, if memeory serves, in his 50's, but never short of the bone to back up his claims, Williams asked them to get him three things...a professional pitcher, a bucket of balls, and some tar. He covered his bat in tar as the pitcher warmed up, and then stepped into the box...First pitch, fastball, Williams deposited over the rightfield fence. Seems he hadn't lost the stroke. Seems he hadn't lost the eyes, either, as he immediatley said " I hit it on the President's signature." And, upon retrieving the ball, sure enough, there it was...the pine stain from the home-run swing was dead smack across the League President's John Hancock....Incredible but true. Hate the Red Sox......almost as much as the Yankees.....BUT Williams was, IMO, the best hitter of all time.
