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From 1943 to 1945, Williams served as a Marine Corps pilot during World War II. Bill James estimates that Williams lost 561 hits, 103 home runs, and 382 RBIs...
Thank you my friend Maj Marty Hogan for making us aware that August 31 is the anniversary of the birth of WWII and Korean War Combat pilot, American professional baseball player and manager Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams who played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB).
Background from baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/williams-ted
"Ted Williams always knew what he wanted. Others could debate who was the best all-around player in baseball history. Williams was a hitter. "All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, 'There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived,'" Williams said.
He accomplished his goal. Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron may have been better power hitters. You could argue that the graceful Joe DiMaggio or Willie Mays was a better all-around player. If you’re talking about the greatest hitter that ever stepped into the batters box, the discussion begins with the long-time Red Sox left fielder.
Williams wrote the book on hitting--his “The Science Of Hitting” disproves the adage that great hitters can’t teach hitting.
He won six batting titles, but that doesn’t really explain his mastery at the plate. Thanks to an excellent batting eye, Williams led the American League in on-base percentage seven straight years and 12 times overall. His .482 career on-base percentage is the best of all time. And he wasn’t just doing it with walks and singles. Williams led the AL in home runs four times, and his .634 career slugging percentage is second to only Ruth.
He did all of it despite missing most of five seasons due to military service. He learned to fly fighter planes during World War II, working as an instructor from 1943-1945. He was recalled to duty in 1952 during the height of the Korean War, and he served in Korea for more than a year, flying combat missions in a Marine fighter jet.
That missed time explains why the game’s greatest hitter didn’t reach 3,000 hits. After missing the all-star game as a rookie, Williams was an all-star in every non-military interrupted season of the rest of his career. He wasn’t just being grandfathered in. In his final season, 1960, as a 41-year-old, he hit .316 with 29 home runs. His body may have been failing him, but his ability to hit never left.
Williams’ goal was never to be beloved. He took his hitting into the outfield early in his career--he’d practice swings between pitches. Those kind of quirks and some signs of defensive indifference didn’t always endear him to Red Sox’ fans. His relationship with the Boston community wasn’t helped by along-running feud between Williams and much of the Boston media. The newspapermen didn’t make Williams’ life any easier, but Williams didn’t help himself with his legendary stubborness. The same personality that ensured he could remember a pitch that struck him out three months before was not going to forget any slights inflicted by a hostile press.
After his retirement, the memories of his difficulties with fans slowly retreated, while the memories of his amazing career, and his honorable military service became more and more prominent. By the time he threw out the first pitch for the 1999 all-star game, he was revered as a baseball treasure, as the game’s best current players mobbed Williams to touch and talk to the game’s biggest star."
SportsCentury - Ted Williams
From 1943 to 1945, Williams served as a Marine Corps pilot during World War II. Bill James estimates that Williams lost 561 hits, 103 home runs, and 382 RBIs during his first stint in the service.
He was recalled for active duty with the Marines in April 1952. He was sent to Korea where he served as a fighter pilot with future astronaut and senator John Glenn. Williams played just 43 games in 1952 and 1953, as he was in the service. When he returned in August 1953, Williams picked up where he left off. He hit .407 in 37 games. His 13 home runs in 91 at bats is a record for home runs by a hitter with less than 100 at bats.
Notable Achievements:
17-time AL All-Star (1940-1942, 1946-1951 & 1953-1960)
2-time AL MVP (1946 & 1949)
2-time AL Triple Crown (1942 & 1947)
6-time AL Batting Average Leader (1941, 1942, 1947, 1948, 1957 & 1958)
12-time AL On-Base Percentage Leader (1940-1942, 1946-1949, 1951, 1954 & 1956-1958)
9-time AL Slugging Percentage Leader (1941, 1942, 1946-1949, 1951, 1954 & 1957)
10-time AL OPS Leader (1941, 1942, 1946-1949, 1951, 1954, 1957 & 1958)
6-time AL Runs Scored Leader (1940-1941, 1946, 1947 & 1949)
6-time AL Total Bases Leader (1939, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1949 & 1951)
2-time AL Doubles Leader (1948 & 1949)
4-time AL Home Runs Leader (1941, 1942, 1947 & 1949)
4-time AL RBI Leader (1939, 1942, 1947 & 1949)
8-time AL Bases on Balls Leader (1941, 1942, 1946-1949, 1951 & 1954)
20-Home Run Seasons: 16 (1939-1942, 1946-1951, 1954-1958 & 1960)
30-Home Run Seasons: 8 (1939, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951 & 1957)
40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1949)
100 RBI Seasons: 9 (1939-1942, 1946-1949 & 1951)
100 Runs Scored Seasons: 9 (1939-1942, 1946-1949 & 1951)
Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1966
Records Held:
Most RBI by a rookie, 145, 1939
On base percentage, career, .482
On base percentage, left handed batter, career, .482
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N-tldmMpk8
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price SCPO Morris Ramsey SSG John Ross SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon
Background from baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/williams-ted
"Ted Williams always knew what he wanted. Others could debate who was the best all-around player in baseball history. Williams was a hitter. "All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, 'There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived,'" Williams said.
He accomplished his goal. Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron may have been better power hitters. You could argue that the graceful Joe DiMaggio or Willie Mays was a better all-around player. If you’re talking about the greatest hitter that ever stepped into the batters box, the discussion begins with the long-time Red Sox left fielder.
Williams wrote the book on hitting--his “The Science Of Hitting” disproves the adage that great hitters can’t teach hitting.
He won six batting titles, but that doesn’t really explain his mastery at the plate. Thanks to an excellent batting eye, Williams led the American League in on-base percentage seven straight years and 12 times overall. His .482 career on-base percentage is the best of all time. And he wasn’t just doing it with walks and singles. Williams led the AL in home runs four times, and his .634 career slugging percentage is second to only Ruth.
He did all of it despite missing most of five seasons due to military service. He learned to fly fighter planes during World War II, working as an instructor from 1943-1945. He was recalled to duty in 1952 during the height of the Korean War, and he served in Korea for more than a year, flying combat missions in a Marine fighter jet.
That missed time explains why the game’s greatest hitter didn’t reach 3,000 hits. After missing the all-star game as a rookie, Williams was an all-star in every non-military interrupted season of the rest of his career. He wasn’t just being grandfathered in. In his final season, 1960, as a 41-year-old, he hit .316 with 29 home runs. His body may have been failing him, but his ability to hit never left.
Williams’ goal was never to be beloved. He took his hitting into the outfield early in his career--he’d practice swings between pitches. Those kind of quirks and some signs of defensive indifference didn’t always endear him to Red Sox’ fans. His relationship with the Boston community wasn’t helped by along-running feud between Williams and much of the Boston media. The newspapermen didn’t make Williams’ life any easier, but Williams didn’t help himself with his legendary stubborness. The same personality that ensured he could remember a pitch that struck him out three months before was not going to forget any slights inflicted by a hostile press.
After his retirement, the memories of his difficulties with fans slowly retreated, while the memories of his amazing career, and his honorable military service became more and more prominent. By the time he threw out the first pitch for the 1999 all-star game, he was revered as a baseball treasure, as the game’s best current players mobbed Williams to touch and talk to the game’s biggest star."
SportsCentury - Ted Williams
From 1943 to 1945, Williams served as a Marine Corps pilot during World War II. Bill James estimates that Williams lost 561 hits, 103 home runs, and 382 RBIs during his first stint in the service.
He was recalled for active duty with the Marines in April 1952. He was sent to Korea where he served as a fighter pilot with future astronaut and senator John Glenn. Williams played just 43 games in 1952 and 1953, as he was in the service. When he returned in August 1953, Williams picked up where he left off. He hit .407 in 37 games. His 13 home runs in 91 at bats is a record for home runs by a hitter with less than 100 at bats.
Notable Achievements:
17-time AL All-Star (1940-1942, 1946-1951 & 1953-1960)
2-time AL MVP (1946 & 1949)
2-time AL Triple Crown (1942 & 1947)
6-time AL Batting Average Leader (1941, 1942, 1947, 1948, 1957 & 1958)
12-time AL On-Base Percentage Leader (1940-1942, 1946-1949, 1951, 1954 & 1956-1958)
9-time AL Slugging Percentage Leader (1941, 1942, 1946-1949, 1951, 1954 & 1957)
10-time AL OPS Leader (1941, 1942, 1946-1949, 1951, 1954, 1957 & 1958)
6-time AL Runs Scored Leader (1940-1941, 1946, 1947 & 1949)
6-time AL Total Bases Leader (1939, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1949 & 1951)
2-time AL Doubles Leader (1948 & 1949)
4-time AL Home Runs Leader (1941, 1942, 1947 & 1949)
4-time AL RBI Leader (1939, 1942, 1947 & 1949)
8-time AL Bases on Balls Leader (1941, 1942, 1946-1949, 1951 & 1954)
20-Home Run Seasons: 16 (1939-1942, 1946-1951, 1954-1958 & 1960)
30-Home Run Seasons: 8 (1939, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951 & 1957)
40-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1949)
100 RBI Seasons: 9 (1939-1942, 1946-1949 & 1951)
100 Runs Scored Seasons: 9 (1939-1942, 1946-1949 & 1951)
Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1966
Records Held:
Most RBI by a rookie, 145, 1939
On base percentage, career, .482
On base percentage, left handed batter, career, .482
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N-tldmMpk8
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price SCPO Morris Ramsey SSG John Ross SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon
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