Ted Williams

Ted Williams was widely regarded as the greatest pure hitter in baseball history, twice interrupting his career for military service.

Theodore Samuel Williams was born on August 30, 1918, in San Diego, California, and learned to throw a baseball at eight from his uncle Saul, a former semi-professional player. Williams starred as a pitcher and hitter at Hoover High School, drawing professional interest from major league teams while still a teenager, though his mother's reluctance to let him leave home kept him close, signing instead with the local Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres. Williams debuted with the Boston Red Sox in 1939 and quickly established himself as the finest pure hitter of his generation, renowned for his exceptional eyesight, disciplined batting eye, and scientific approach to hitting, later articulated in his influential book "The Science of Hitting." In 1941, he became the last player in MLB history to hit over .400 in a season, finishing at .406 — a mark that has never since been matched. Williams's career was twice interrupted by military service, missing nearly five full seasons combined while flying as a Marine Corps pilot in both World War II and the Korean War, where he flew combat missions alongside future astronaut John Glenn. Despite this lost time, he won two American League MVP awards, two Triple Crowns, and six batting titles, finishing with a career .344 average, 521 home runs, and an MLB-record .482 on-base percentage. Nicknamed "The Splendid Splinter," Williams was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 and later managed the Washington Senators and Texas Rangers. He died on July 5, 2002, at age 83, widely regarded as one of the greatest hitters ever to play the game.

Left-handed power hitter with exceptional plate discipline

Greatest hitter who ever lived, last .400 hitter

• 2x Triple Crown
• 2x AL MVP
• 6x AL batting champion
• 19x All-Star selection
• Hall of Fame 1966