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Overview
As a 19-year-old heading east to play for the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams was overheard muttering, "All I want out of life is when I walk down the street folks will say, 'There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.'" Through a tumultuous, boisterous career that touched four decades, Williams worked tirelessly to perfect the science of hitting and accomplish his goal. Twice the winner of the Triple Crown, Williams hit an astonishing .406 in 1941, a standard that has not been achieved since. Williams, though, was not only a superb ballplayer; he was a Marine who served two stints in the military during wartime. As a fighter pilot in Korea, Williams was hit by enemy fire but survived the fiery crash. Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 and in 1999 was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.Synopsis
As a 19-year-old heading east to play for the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams was overheard muttering, "All I want out of life is when I walk down the street folks will say, 'There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.'" Through a tumultuous, boisterous career that touched four decades, Williams worked tirelessly to perfect the science of hitting and accomplish his goal. Twice the winner of the Triple Crown, Williams hit an astonishing .406 in 1941, a standard that has not been achieved since. Williams, though, was not only a superb ballplayer; he was a Marine who served two stints in the military during wartime. As a fighter pilot in Korea, Williams was hit by enemy fire but survived the fiery crash. Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 and in 1999 was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
Children's Literature
Born in 1918 at San Diego, California, Ted Williams aspired to become baseball's best hitter. In 1936, the San Diego Padres, then a minor league team, recruited Williams. He signed with the Boston Red Sox the next year. His stellar performances, hitting .406 in 1941, gained Williams accolades. Williams twice was designated a Triple Crown winner, scoring the most home runs, highest batting average, and greatest number of runs batted in for a year during the 1942 and 1947 seasons. He was chosen 1946 and 1949 American League Most Valuable Player and Associated Press Athlete of the Year in 1957. In 1960, Williams attained his 500th home run and was declared the 1950s Player of the Decade by Sporting News. He was honored with National Baseball Hall of Fame induction in 1966. In addition to discussing Williams' World War II and Korean military service and altruistic work with cancer patients, this biography examines Williams' antagonistic interactions with reporters and fans, erratic personal life, and controversy regarding cryonic preservation of Williams' body after his 2002 death. This text lacks notes for facts such as salaries, which are mentioned without estimating what those monetary figures would currently be worth. Archival images depict significant games and a Life magazine cover featuring Williams. This "Baseball Superstars" series volume provides Williams' career statistics, sidebars, chronology, a glossary, a bibliography, and web site recommendations. Reviewer: Elizabeth D. Schafer