Ted Williams

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Born and raised in San Diego, Williams played baseball throughout his youth. He graduated from Herbert Hoover High School in San Diego, where he played baseball as a pitcher and was the star of the team. He signed with the local Pacific Coast League club, the San Diego Padres, after high school. Williams's paternal ancestors were a mix of Welsh, English, and Irish. His maternal side was Spanish-Mexican with Basque, Russian, and American Indian roots. He lived in San Diego's North Park neighborhood. At age eight, he was taught how to throw a baseball by his uncle, Saul Venzor, who was a former semi-professional baseball player. As a child, his heroes were Pepper Martin and Bill Terry.

In Their Own Story

In 1941, Williams achieved what no one has since: he posted a .406 batting average, becoming the last player in either league to bat over .400 in a season. He followed this with his first Triple Crown in 1942. Upon returning in 1946, he won his first AL MVP Award and played in his only World Series. In 1947, he secured a second Triple Crown. The Korean War再次 interrupted him during portions of the 1952 and 1953 seasons, where he served as a Marine combat aviator. Even as an older player, Williams dominated; in 1957 and 1958, he won his fifth and sixth batting titles at ages 39 and 40, becoming the oldest to win a batting crown twice.

Reader's Guide

Williams was a 19-time All-Star, a two-time recipient of the American League Most Valuable Player Award, a six-time AL batting champion, and a two-time Triple Crown winner. He finished his playing career with a .344 batting average, 521 home runs, and a 1.116 on-base plus slugging percentage. His career batting average is the highest of any MLB player whose career was played primarily after World War II, and it ranks 11th all-time. In 1941, he posted a .406 batting average, the last player to bat over .400 in a season. His career .482 on-base percentage is the highest of all-time. He won his first Triple Crown in 1942, his first AL MVP in 1946, and his second Triple Crown in 1947. He was the AL batting champion in 1957 and 1958, becoming the oldest player to win a batting crown at 39 and 40. He retired in 1960, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966, and managed the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers from 1969 to 1972.

Did You Know?

• Williams was named after former president Theodore Roosevelt and his father, Samuel Stuart Williams.
• He disliked the name 'Teddy' and later amended his birth certificate to say 'Theodore'.
• His mother, May Venzor, was a Mexican-American evangelist and lifelong soldier in the Salvation Army.
• Williams was a Marine combat aviator during the Korean War.
• He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991 by President George H. W. Bush.