Ted Williams Elected to Hall of Fame
Williams spent 21 seasons in left field for the Boston Red Sox, and his career was twice interrupted by military service. He served in the Marine Corps in both World War II and the Korean War.
Despite missing almost five full seasons due to service, Williams set numerous hitting records and was named to 19 All-Star Games. A two-time American League MVP, Teddy Ballgame led the league in batting six times, slugging percentage nine times, total bases six times, run scored six times, walks eight times and won the Triple Crown twice. He finished in the top 10 in MVP voting 10 other times.
“Ted (Williams) was the greatest hitter of our era,” said Hall of Famer Stan Musial. “He won six batting titles and served his country for five years, so he would have won more. He loved talking about hitting and was a great student of hitting and pitchers.”
“When Ted (Williams) was a young man, he often said it was his goal that people would say of him: ‘There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.’ Ted (Williams) fulfilled that dream,” said Hall of Famer Bud Selig.
Samantha Burkett is a freelance writer from Fairport, N.Y.