| 'Although Theodore Samuel Williams hit 521 homers and led the American League four times, he was not thought of so much as a great home run hitter but as a great hitter, period. He was the batsman supreme, an incomparable artist at drilling line drives, and the fact that a great many of those drives found their way into the seats is a matter of secondary emphasis.
When the 1957 season ended the Red Sox' Splendid Splinter emerged, at age 39, as the oldest batting champion in history. He had won his sixth batting crown (.388) and his ninth slugging championship (.731). Three years later, in 1960, he would wrap up an incredible 19-year career with 29 homers and a .316 average.
Two stints as a Marine Corps flyer cost Williams five years, but he never lost his batting touch.
His greatest single season had come in 1941 when he hit .401. Confident, outspoken and frequently indifferent to fans, the Red Sox outfielder twice won the MVP Award and four times he was the home run champion.' |
