The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame, The Thumper, The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived?

I finally have a little piece of one of most favorite baseball players of all time, Mr. Ted Williams! My love for him was rekindled when I read a short piece from Esquire (1986) called "What Do You Think of Ted Williams Now?" it was written by Richard Ben Cramer and it was also included in The Best American Sports Writing of the Century. In the article, Cramer captures the heart of the athlete himself at his home in the Florida Keys, where Williams spent a large part of his time fishing and living his life by his own rules. 

 One of my most favorite qualities about Ted Williams was his wild-fire passion. Whether he was taking on the media and fans in Boston, deep sea fishing, or flying fighter planes, Ted always lived for the moment. He often times came across as a jerk and rude to the public, however, in paradox, he did spend a large part of his time giving generously to charities and visiting sick children. Either way,  it's hard not to  love someone who lived their life with such intensity! He is an absolute favorite of mine. 

Of course, I love Ted Williams because he has a hometown tie for us Minnesotans as well! He played for the Minneapolis Millers and quickly became a star! At one point he had a twenty-two game hitting streak while here in MN! In 1939 even though there was not yet a "Rookie of the Year" award, Babe Ruth himself declared Ted Williams the ROY. The Kid, went on to be the last player in Major League Baseball to bat over .400 in a single season (.406 in 1941). This is the record he is most known for today. Clearly, Ted Williams is one of the greatest hitters of all time.