Difference between revisions of "Ted Williams" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
(New page: :''"Route 66" redirects here. For other uses, see Route 66 (disambiguation). For other highways numbered 66, see list of highways numbered 66.'' {{Infobox U.S. Route |article_route...)
 
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:''"Route 66" redirects here. For other uses, see [[Route 66 (disambiguation)]]. For other highways numbered 66, see [[list of highways numbered 66]].''
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{{Infobox baseball player | name=Ted Williams | image name=Ted_Williams_Time_Cover_1950.jpg
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{{Infobox U.S. Route
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| birthdate= August 30, 1918
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|article_route=66
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| birthplace= [[San Diego]], [[California|CA]]
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|alternate_name=Will Rogers Highway
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| dead=dead
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|map=Route 66 map.PNG
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| deathdate= July 5, 2002
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|length_mi=2448
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| deathplace= [[Inverness, Florida|Inverness]], [[Florida|FL]]
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|length_round=0
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| debutdate= April 20, 1939
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|length_ref=
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| debutteam= [[Boston Red Sox]]
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|yrcom=November 11, 1926
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| debutopponent= [[New York Yankees]]
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|yrdcom=June 27, 1985
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| debutstadium= [[Yankee Stadium]]
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|direction_a=West
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| teams= [[Boston Red Sox]] ([[1939 in sports|1939]]-[[1942 in sports|1942]])<BR>[[United States Armed Services|Armed Services]] (1943-1945)<BR>Boston Red Sox ([[1946 in sports|1946]]-[[1952 in sports|1952]])<BR>Armed Services (1952-1953)<BR>Boston Red Sox ([[1953 in sports|1953]]-[[1960 in sports|1960]])
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|from=[[Los Angeles, CA]] (1926-1936)<br/>[[Santa Monica, CA]] (1936-1985)
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| HOFer=HOFer
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|junction=
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| inductiondate=[[1966 in sports|1966]]
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|direction_b=East
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| careerhighlights=<nowiki></nowiki>
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|to=[[Chicago|Chicago, IL]]
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* Last player to hit at least .400 in a season, hitting .406 in [[1941 in sports|1941]]
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* Career [[Batting average#Baseball|batting average]] of .344, tied for seventh best all time
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* 521 [[home run]]s, tied for 16th all time
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* Two-time [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] winner (1946 and '49)
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* Two-time [[Triple crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] winner (1942 and '47)
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* Struck out only 709 times in 7,706 at-bats
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* Hit .327 with 31 [[home run]]s and 145 RBI as a [[rookie]] in 1939
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* Oldest batting champ in Major League history at 40 in [[1958 in sports|1958]]
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* Appeared in 17 [[All Star Game]]s
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* Fourth in career [[Bases on balls|walks]] (2021)
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* All Time leader in Career [[on-base percentage]] (.482)
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* Led [[American League]] in [[home run]]s 4 times
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* Led American League in [[Batting average#Baseball|batting average]] 6 times
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* Led American League in [[on-base percentage]] 12 times
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* Led American League in [[slugging percentage]] 9 times
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* Led American League in [[runs scored]] 6 times
 
}}
 
}}
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'''U.S. Route 66''', (also known as '''Route 66''', '''The Main Street of America''', '''The Mother Road''' and the '''[[Will Rogers]] Highway'''<ref>http://www.historic66.com/</ref>) was a highway in the [[U.S. Highway system]]. One of the original federal routes, US 66 was established on November 11, 1926, though signs did not go up until the following year.<ref>http://www.legendsofamerica.com/66-Timeline.html</ref> It originally ran from [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] through [[Missouri]], [[Kansas]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Texas]], [[New Mexico]], [[Arizona]] and [[California]] before ending at [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] for a total of 2,448 miles<ref>http://www.stjo66.de/mileposts_1926.htm</ref> (3,939 km).
 
  
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Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime that changed its overall length. One of these realignments moved the western endpoint from [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] to [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]]. Contrary to common belief, Route 66 never ran to the ocean; it terminated onto what was at the time US-101 ALT, at what is today the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard. It never went to the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard, even though there is a plaque dedicating Route 66 as the [[Will Rogers]] Highway there.<ref>http://www.historic66.com/california/det-ca5.html</ref>
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[[Image:bosret9.PNG|95px|left|]]'''Theodore Samuel Williams''' (August 30, 1918 &ndash; July 5, 2002), best known as '''Ted Williams''', nicknamed '''The Kid''', the '''Splendid Splinter''', '''Teddy Ballgame''' and '''The Thumper''', was an [[United States|American]] [[left fielder]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who played 19 seasons, twice interrupted by military service as a [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] pilot, with the [[Boston Red Sox]].
  
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Route 66 was a major path of the migrants who went west, especially during the [[Dust Bowl]] of the 1930s, and supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. People became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive even with the growing threat of the new [[Interstate Highway System]].  
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Williams was a two-time [[American League]] [[MLB Most Valuable Player award|Most Valuable Player]] (MVP) winner, led the league in [[batting average|batting]] six times, and won the [[Triple crown (baseball)|Triple Crown]] twice.  He had a career batting average of .344, with 521 [[home run]]s, and was inducted into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[1966 in sports|1966]]. He is the last player in Major League Baseball to bat over .400 in a single season (.406 in 1941). Williams remains to be hold the hightest career batting average of anyone with 500 or more homeruns. An avid [[fishing|sport fisherman]], he hosted a [[television]] show about fishing, and was inducted into the [[Fishing Hall of Fame]].
  
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US 66 was officially [[Decommissioned highway|decommissioned]] (that is, officially removed from the [[United States]] Highway System) on June 27, 1985<ref>http://www.us-highways.com/early66.htm</ref> after it was decided the route was no longer relevant and had been replaced by the Interstate Highway System. Portions of the road that passed through Illinois, New Mexico, and Arizona have been designated a [[National Scenic Byway]] of the name "'''Historic Route 66'''". It has begun to return to maps in this form.
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==Early life==
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{{MLB HoF}}
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Williams was born in [[San Diego, California]] as '''Teddy Samuel Williams''', after his father [[Samuel Willliams]] and [[Theodore Roosevelt|Teddy Roosevelt]]. At some point, the name and date of birth on his birth certificate was changed to Theodore, but his mother and his closest friends always called him '''Teddy'''. His father Samuel was a soldier, sheriff, and photographer from New York and greatly admired the late president. His mother May was a [[Salvation Army]] worker of [[Basque Country (historical territory)|Basque]] descent whose parents came from Mexico.
  
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[[Image:Route66_sign.jpg|thumb|200px|Modern-day sign in [[New Mexico]], along a section of Route 66 named a [[National Scenic Byway]]]]
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Williams played high-school baseball at [[Herbert Hoover High School (San Diego)|Herbert Hoover High School]] in San Diego and lived at 4121 Utah Street in the North Park area of the city. After graduation, he turned professional and had [[minor league baseball|minor league]] stints for his hometown [[San Diego Padres (PCL)|San Diego Padres]] and the [[Minneapolis Millers]].
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[[Image:US 66 (CA).svg|thumb|180px|Modern-day shield that would have been used in California if not decommissioned (note the black background cut off and the addition of the US indicator)]]
 
  
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==History of the highway==
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Early in his career, he stated that he wished to be remembered as the "greatest hitter who ever lived," an honor that he achieved in the eyes of many by the end of his career.
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===Birth and rise of Route 66===
 
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{{lengths table}}
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in California|CA]]
 
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|314 <!-- ESTIMATES FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENTS —>
 
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|505
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in Arizona|AZ]]
 
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|401 <!-- ESTIMATES FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENTS —>
 
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|645
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in New Mexico|NM]]
 
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|487 <!-- ESTIMATES FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENTS —>
 
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|784
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in Texas|TX]]
 
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|186 <!-- ESTIMATES FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENTS —><!--said 177.1, but that's also the length of IH 40, so it may have just been guessed from that[[Texas Department of Transportation]], [http://www.dot.state.tx.us/tpp/hwy/us/us0066.htm Highway Designation File - U.S. Highway 66]</ref>—>
 
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|299
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in Oklahoma|OK]]
 
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|432 <!-- ESTIMATES FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENTS —>
 
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|695
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in Kansas|KS]]
 
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|13<!--commonly agreed to as 13.2, but no source to confirm the .2 IMHO—>
 
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|21
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in Missouri|MO]]
 
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|317 <!-- ESTIMATES FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENTS —>
 
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|510
 
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|-
 
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|[[U.S. Route 66 in Illinois|IL]]
 
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|301 <!-- ESTIMATES FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENTS —>
 
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|484
 
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|-
 
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|Total in 1926
 
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|2448 <!-- PUBLISHED FOR THE 1926 ALIGNMENT: American Highways, 4/27 —>
 
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|3939
 
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|}
 
  
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[[Image:Rte66RightOfWayMarker.jpg|thumb|140px|Remnants of an original "STATE" right-of-way marker serve as a "ghost" of the early days of the road's construction. This was part of the 1927 construction of Route 66.]]
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==In the major leagues==
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Championed by Oklahoman [[Cyrus Avery]] in 1923 when the first talks about a national highway system began, US 66 was first signed in 1927 as one of the original [[U.S. Highways]], although it was not completely paved until 1938. Avery was adamant that the highway have a round number and had proposed number 60 to identify it. A controversy erupted over the number 60, largely from delegates from [[Kentucky]] which wanted a [[Virginia Beach, Virginia|Virginia Beach]]–Los Angeles highway to be [[U.S. Route 60|US 60]] and [[U.S. Route 62|US 62]] between Chicago and [[Springfield, Missouri]]. Arguments and counter-arguments continued and the final conclusion was to have US 60 run between Virginia Beach, Virginia and Springfield, Missouri, and the Chicago–[[Los Angeles, California]] route be US 62. Avery settled on "66" (which was unassigned) because he thought the double-digit number would be easy to remember as well as pleasant to say and hear.  
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Williams moved up to the major-league Red Sox in [[1939 in sports|1939]], immediately making an impact as he led the American League in [[runs batted in|RBI]] and finishing 4th in [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] balloting.  In [[1941 in sports|1941]], he entered the last day of the season with a [[batting average]] of .39955. This would have been rounded up to .400, making him the first man to hit .400 since [[Bill Terry]] in [[1930 in sports|1930]].  His manager left the decision whether to play up to him. Williams opted to play in both games of the day's [[doubleheader]] and risk losing his record.  He got 6 [[hit (baseball)|hits]] in 8 [[at bat]]s, raising his season average to .406; no one has reached .400 since (Williams also hit .400 in 1952 and .407 in 1953, both partial seasons).
  
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After the new federal highway system was officially created, Avery called for the establishment of the [[U.S. Highway 66 Association]] to promote the complete paving of the highway from end to end and to promote travel down the highway. In 1927, in [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]], the association was officially established with [[John T. Woodruff]] of Springfield, Missouri elected the first president. In 1928, the association made its first attempt at publicity, the "[[Bunion Derby]]", a footrace from Los Angeles to [[New York City]], of which the path from Los Angeles to Chicago would be on Route 66. [http://www.itvs.org/footrace/progress/progress.htm] The publicity worked: several dignitaries, including [[Will Rogers]], greeted the runners at certain points on the route. The association went on to serve as a voice for businesses along the highway until it disbanded in 1976.
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At the time, this achievement was overshadowed by [[Joe DiMaggio]]'s 56-game hitting streak in the same season. Their rivalry was played up by the press; Williams always felt himself slightly better as a hitter, but acknowledged that DiMaggio was the better all-around player. Also in 1941, Williams set a major-league record for [[on-base percentage]] in a season at .551. That record would last until [[2002 in baseball|2002]], when [[Barry Bonds]] upped this mark to .582. A lesser-known accomplishment is Williams' feat of reaching base for the most consecutive games, 84. In addition, Williams holds the third- and fourth-longest such streaks. In 1957, Williams reached base in 16 consecutive plate appearances, also a major-league record.
  
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[[Image:US 66 (AZ Old).svg|thumb|left|The route sign until the 1940s.]]
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One of Williams' other memorable accomplishments was his game-winning home run off [[Rip Sewell]]'s notorious [[eephus pitch]] during the [[1946 in sports|1946]] [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]].  Archival footage shows a delighted Williams hopping around the bases, clapping; he later said this was his greatest thrill in baseball.
  
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Traffic grew on the highway due to the geography through which it passed. Much of the highway was essentially flat and this made the highway a popular [[truck]] route. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s saw many farming families (mainly from Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas) heading west for agricultural jobs in California. Route 66 became the main road of travel for these people, often derogatorily called "[[Okies]]". And during the Depression, it gave some relief to communities located on the highway. The route passed through numerous small towns, and with the growing traffic on the highway, helped create the rise of mom-and-pop businesses (mainly as service stations, restaurants, and motor courts) up and down the highway.
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Among the few blemishes on Williams's playing record was his performance in his lone post-season appearance, the 1946 [[World Series]]. Williams managed just 5 singles in 25 at-bats, with just 1 RBI, as the Red Sox lost to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in the 8th inning of the seventh game. Much of this was due to his stubborn insistence into hitting into the Cardinals' defensive shift, which frequently involved five or six of the Cardinals' fielders positioned to the right of second base. This shift was a version of the [[Boudreau Shift]], popularized by Cleveland Indians manager [[Lou Boudreau]] in an attempt to reduce Williams's effectiveness.
  
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Much of the early highway, like all the other early highways, was gravel or graded dirt. Due to the efforts of the US Highway 66 Association, Route 66 became the first highway completely paved in 1938. Several places were dangerous, more than one part of the highway was nicknamed "Bloody 66" and gradually work was done to realign these segments to remove dangerous curves. However, one section (through the [[Black Mountains (Arizona)|Black Mountains]] of Arizona) was fraught with sharp hairpin turns and was the steepest along the entire route—so much so that some early travelers, too frightened at the prospect of driving such a potentially dangerous road, hired locals to navigate the winding grade. The section remained until 1953—despite this, Route 66 continued to be a popular route.
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Williams may also have been playing with an elbow that he injured during a pre-World Series exhibition game, while the Cardinals and [[Los Angeles Dodgers|Brooklyn Dodgers]] were playing a best-of-three series to determine the National League champion.
  
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During [[World War II]], more migration west occurred because of war-related industries in California. Route 66, already popular and fully paved, became one of the main routes and also served for moving military equipment. [[Fort Leonard Wood]] in [[Missouri]] was located near the highway, which was locally upgraded quickly to a divided highway to help with military traffic.
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An obsessive student of batting, Williams hit for both power and average. In 1970 he wrote a book on the subject, ''[[The Science of Hitting]]'' (revised 1986), which is still read by many baseball players. He lacked foot speed, as attested by his career total of 24 [[stolen base]]s, one [[inside-the-park home run]], and one occasion of [[hitting for the cycle]]. He felt that with more speed he could have raised his average considerably and hit .400 over at least one more season.  
  
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[[Image:Chain of Rocks.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[Chain of Rocks Bridge]] was built to carry the growing traffic of Route 66 around the city of St. Louis.]]
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Despite Williams's lack of fielding range, he was considered a sure fielder with a good throwing arm, although he occasionally expressed regret that he had not worked harder on his fielding.
  
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In the 1950s, Route 66 became the main highway for vacationers heading to Los Angeles. The road passed through the [[Painted Desert, Arizona|Painted Desert]] and near the [[Grand Canyon]]. [[Meteor Crater]] in Arizona was another popular stop. This sharp rise in tourism in turn gave rise to a burgeoning trade in all manner of roadside attractions including [[teepee]]-shaped motels, [[frozen custard]] stands, [[Native Americans in the United States|Indian]] curio shops, and reptile farms. [[Meramec Caverns]] near [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] began advertising on barns, billing itself as the "[[Jesse James (outlaw)|Jesse James]] hideout". The [[Big Texan]] advertised a free 72 ounce steak dinner to anyone who could eat the whole thing in an hour. It also marked the birth of the fast-food industry: [[Red's Giant Hamburgs]] in Springfield, Missouri, site of the first [[drive-through]] restaurant, and the first [[McDonald's]] in [[San Bernardino, California]]. Changes like these to the landscape further cemented 66's reputation as a near-perfect microcosm of the culture of America, now linked by the automobile.
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== Military Service ==
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[[Image:Ted_Williams_swearing_into_the_Navy_on_May_22,_1942..jpg|right|thumb|200px|Williams being sworn into the military on May 22, 1942.]]
  
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===Changes in routing===
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Williams served as a [[United States Marine Corps]] [[Naval aviator|pilot]] during [[World War II]] and the [[Korean War]].  During World War II he served as a flight instructor at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]] teaching young pilots to fly the [[F4U Corsair]].  He finished the war in [[Hawaii]] and was released from active duty in January of 1946; however he did remain in the [[Marine Forces Reserve|reserves]]<ref>Mersky, p. 189</ref>.[[Image:1944_Ted_Williams_Kokomo.jpg|left|thumb|Press photo of Williams signing autographs in Kokomo, Indiana 1944.]]
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Four major sections of US 66 underwent major realignments during the 1930s.  
 
  
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[[Image:Rte66btwnOatmanAndKingman.JPG|thumb|200px|Route 66 between [[Oatman, Arizona|Oatman]] and [[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]].]]
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In 1952, at the age of 34, he was recalled to active duty for service in the [[Korean War]]. After getting checked out on the new [[F9F Panther]] at [[Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point]], [[North Carolina]], he was assigned to [[VMF-311]], [[Marine Aircraft Group 33]] (MAG-33) in [[Korea]]<ref>Mersky, p. 189</ref>.   
  
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# In 1930, between [[Springfield, Illinois]] and [[East St. Louis, Illinois]], US 66 was shifted further east to what is now roughly I-55. The original alignment followed the current [[Illinois Route 4]].
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On February 16, 1953, Williams was part of a 35 plane strike package against a [[tank]] and [[infantry]] training school  just south of [[Pyongyang]], [[North Korea]]. During the mission a piece of [[flak]] knocked out his [[hydraulics]] and electrical systems causing Williams to have to crash land his fighter jet. After scrambling out of the jet he made the comment, "I ran faster than Mickey Mantle." {{Fact|date=February 2007}}  For bringing the plane back he was also awarded the [[Air Medal]].
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# From downtown St. Louis to [[Gray Summit, Missouri]], US 66 originally went down Market Street and Manchester Road (now, largely, [[Route 100 (Missouri)|Route 100]]). In 1932, this route was changed, the original alignment never being viewed as anything more than temporary. The planned route was down Watson Road (now [[Route 366 (Missouri)|Route 366]]), but Watson Road had not yet been completed.
 
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# From west of [[El Reno, Oklahoma]] to [[Bridgeport, Oklahoma]], US 66 turned north to [[Calumet, Oklahoma]] and then west to [[Geary, Oklahoma]] then southwest across the [[Canadian River|South Canadian River]] over a [[suspension bridge|suspension toll bridge]] into Bridgeport, Oklahoma. In 1933, a straighter cut-off route was completed from west of El Reno, Oklahoma directly to a point one mile south of Bridgeport, Oklahoma crossing over a 38-span steel [[truss bridge|pony truss bridge]] over the South Canadian River and bypassing both Calumet and Geary by several miles.
 
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# From west of [[Santa Rosa, New Mexico]] to north of [[Los Lunas, New Mexico]], the road originally turned north from current I-40 along much of what is now US 84 to near [[Las Vegas, New Mexico|Las Vegas]], followed (roughly) [[Interstate 25|I-25]] through [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]] and [[Albuquerque]] to Los Lunas and then turned northwest along the present State Highway 6 alignment to a point near Laguna. In 1937, a straight-line route was completed from west of Santa Rosa through Moriarty and east-west through Albuquerque and west to Laguna. This newer routing saved travelers as much as four hours of travel through New Mexico.
 
  
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Also, US 66 was rerouted around several larger cities via bypass or beltline routes to permit travelers to avoid city traffic congestion. Some of those cities included [[Springfield, Illinois]]; [[St. Louis, Missouri]], [[Springfield, Missouri]]; [[Joplin, Missouri]]; and [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]].
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Williams eventually flew 38 combat missions before being pulled from flight status in June of 1953 after an old ear infection acted up<ref>Mersky, p. 190</ref>.. During the war he also served in the same unit as [[John Glenn]]. While these absences, which took almost five years out of the heart of a great career, significantly limited his career totals, he never complained about the time devoted to military service.
  
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===Decline===
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==Summary of career==
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[[Image:Whiting_bros_.jpg|thumb|200px|Abandoned, fire-damaged Whiting Brothers [[gas station]], [[New Mexico]]. Conservation efforts are under way to preserve original buildings such as this all along the route.]]
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Williams's two MVP Awards and two Triple Crowns came in four different years.  Along with [[Rogers Hornsby]], he is one of only two players to win the Triple Crown twice, but he did not win the MVP award in either of his Triple Crown seasons. Williams, [[Lou Gehrig]], and [[Chuck Klein]] are the only players since the establishment of the MVP award to win the Triple Crown and not be named league MVP in that season.  
  
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The beginning of the end for Route 66 came in 1956 with the signing of the [[Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956|Interstate Highway Act]] by President [[Dwight Eisenhower]]. As a general fighting in the [[European Theatre of World War II|European theater]] during World War II, Eisenhower was impressed by Germany's high-speed roadways, or "[[Autobahn]]en". Eisenhower envisioned a similar system of roads for the US in which one could conceivably drive at high speed from one end of the country to the other without stopping, as well as making it easier to mobilize troops in the event of a national emergency.  
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Williams's hitting was so feared, and it was known that he was a dead pull hitter, that opponents frequently employed the radical, defensive "Williams Shift" against him, leaving only one fielder on the third-base half of the field. Rather than bunting the ball into the open space, the proud Williams batted as usual against the contrived defense. The defensive tactic is still used to this day, and is appropriately called the [[infield shift]]. Interestingly, it is often used against [[David Ortiz]], [[Jason Giambi]], [[Jim Thome]] and [[Travis Hafner]]; all of whom are left-handed batters.
  
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During its nearly 60-year existence, Route 66 was under constant change. As highway engineering became more sophisticated, engineers constantly sought more direct routes between cities and towns. Increased traffic led to a number of major and minor realignments of US 66 through the years, particularly in the years immediately following World War II when Illinois began widening US 66 to four lanes through virtually the entire state from Chicago to the [[Mississippi River]] just east of [[St. Louis, Missouri]], and included bypasses around virtually all of the towns. By the early-to-mid 1950s, Missouri also upgraded its sections of US 66 to four lanes complete with bypasses. Most of the newer four-lane 66 paving in both states was upgraded to Freeway status in later years.
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Ted Williams retired from the game in [[1960 in sports|1960]] and hit a home run in  his final at-bat, on September 28, 1960, in front of only 10,454 fans at Fenway Park. This home run, a solo shot hit off Baltimore pitcher Jack Fisher in the 8th inning that reduced the Orioles' lead to 4-3—was immortalized in ''[[The New Yorker]]'' essay [http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/?020715fr_archive03 "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu"], by [[John Updike]].
  
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One of the remnants of Route 66 is the highway now known as Veterans Parkway, east and south of [[Normal, Illinois]], and [[Bloomington, Illinois]]. The two sweeping curves on the southeast and southwest of the cities originally were intended to easily handle traffic at speeds up to 100 miles per hour, as part of an effort to make Illinois 66 an Autobahn equivalent for military transport.
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==Relationship with Boston media and fans==
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Ted Williams was on uncomfortable terms with the [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] newspapers for nearly twenty years, as he felt they liked to discuss his personal life as much as his baseball performance. Insecure about his upbringing, stubborn because of the immense confidence in his beliefs, Williams made up his mind that the "knights of the keyboard" were against him and treated most of them accordingly, as he describes in his memoir, ''My Turn at Bat.''
  
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[[Image:OldalignIL.jpg|thumb|200px|An abandoned early Route 66 alignment in southern Illinois in 2006. (Photo courtesy of Shawn Mariani of [http://www.otchster.com otchster.com])]]
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He also had an uneasy relationship with the Boston fans, though he could be very cordial one-on-one. Williams felt at times a good deal of gratitude for their passion and their knowledge of the game. On the other hand, Williams was temperamental, high-strung, and at times tactless. He gave generously to those in need, and demanded loyalty to those around him. He could not forgive the fickle nature of the fans—booing a player for booting a ground ball, then turning around and roaring approval of the same player for hitting a home run. Despite the cheers and adulation of most of his fans, the occasional boos directed at him in Fenway Park led Williams to refuse to ever tip his cap after a home run. He also won many fans both in and out of baseball by twice serving his country in time of war, risking his life by flying combat missions in the Marine Corps.
  
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In 1953, the first major bypassing of US 66 occurred in Oklahoma with the opening of the [[Turner Turnpike]] between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The new 88-mile toll road paralleled US 66 for its entire length and bypassed each of the towns along 66. The Turner Turnpike was joined in 1957 by the new [[Will Rogers Turnpike]], which connected Tulsa with the Oklahoma-Missouri border west of [[Joplin, Missouri]], again paralleling US 66 and bypassing the towns in northeastern Oklahoma in addition to the entire state of Kansas. Both Oklahoma turnpikes were soon designated as [[Interstate 44]], along with the US 66 bypass at Tulsa that connected the city with both turnpikes.
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A [[Red Smith]] profile from 1956 describes one Boston writer trying to convince Ted Williams that first cheering and then booing a ballplayer was no different from a moviegoer applauding a "western" movie actor one day and saying the next "He stinks! Whatever gave me the idea he could act?" But Williams rejected this; when he liked a western actor like Hoot Gibson, he liked him in every picture, and would not think of booing him.
  
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In some cases, such as many areas in Illinois, the new Interstate not only paralleled the old Route 66, it actually incorporated much of it. A typical approach was to build one new set of lanes, then move one direction of traffic to it, then rebuild those old lanes as the new lanes for the other direction of traffic, and finally abandon the other old set of lanes or convert them into a [[frontage road]].  
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After his famous home run in his last at-bat, Williams characteristically refused either to tip his cap as he circled the bases or to respond to prolonged cheers of "We want Ted!" from the crowd. Williams also refused to tip his cap as he was replaced in left field by [[Carroll Hardy]] to start the 9th inning, although he continued to receive warm cheers.
  
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The same scenario was used in western Oklahoma when US 66 was initially upgraded to a four-lane highway such as from Sayre through Erick to the Texas border at Texola in 1957 and 1958 where the old paving was retained for westbound traffic and a new parallel lane built for eastbound traffic (Much of this section was entirely bypassed by I-40 in 1975), and on two other sections; from Canute to Elk City in 1959 and Hydro to Weatherford in 1960 - both of which were upgraded with the construction of a new westbound lane in 1966 to bring the highway up to full interstate standards and demoting the old US 66 paving to frontage road status. In the initial process of constructing I-40 across western Oklahoma, the state also included projects to upgrade the through routes in El Reno, Weatherford, Clinton, Canute, Elk City, Sayre, Erick and Texola to four-lane highways not only to provide seamless transitions from the rural sections of I-40 from both ends of town but also to provide easy access to those cities in later years after the I-40 bypasses were completed.
+
Williams's aloof attitude led Updike to wryly observe that "Gods do not answer letters."  Williams's final home run did not take place during the final game of the 1960 season, but rather the Red Sox' last home game.  The Red Sox played three more games on the road in New York; however, Williams did not appear in any of them, and it became clear that Williams's final home at-bat would be the last of his career.
  
−
[[Image:Rt66newkirk.jpg|thumb|200px|Roadbed of Route 66 in [[Guadalupe County, New Mexico|Newkirk, New Mexico]] in 2003.]]
+
==Hall of Fame induction speech==
  
−
In New Mexico as in most other states, rural sections of I-40 were to be constructed first with bypasses around cities to come later. However, some business and civic leaders in cities along US 66 were completely opposed to bypassing fearing loss of business and tax revenues. In 1963, the New Mexico Legislature enacted legislation that banned the construction of interstate bypasses around cities by local request. This legislation was short-lived, however, due to pressures from Washington and threat of loss of federal highway funds so it was rescinded by 1965. In 1964, Tucumcari and San Jon became the first cities in New Mexico to work out an agreement with state and federal officials in determining the locations of their I-40 bypasses as close to their business areas as possible in order to permit easy access for highway travelers to their localities. Other cities soon fell in line including Santa Rosa, Moriarty, Grants and Gallup although it wasn't until well into the 1970s that most of those cities would be bypassed by I-40.
+
In his induction speech in 1966, Williams included a statement calling for the recognition of the great [[Negro Leagues]] players [[Satchel Paige]] and [[Josh Gibson]], who were not given the opportunity to play in the Major Leagues before [[Jackie Robinson]] broke the color barrier in 1947. This powerful statement made by one of the game's greatest players was instrumental in the [[Hall of Fame]] eventually inducting Negro League players beginning with Paige in 1971.
  
−
By the late 1960s, most of the rural sections of US 66 had been replaced by I-40 across New Mexico with the most notable exception being the 40-mile strip from the Texas border at Glenrio west through San Jon to Tucumcari, which was becoming increasingly treacherous due to heavier and heavier traffic on the narrow two-lane highway. During 1968 and 1969, this section of US 66 was often referred to by locals and travelers as "Slaughter Lane" due to numerous injury and fatal accidents on this stretch. Local and area business and civic leaders and news media called upon state and federal highway officials to get I-40 built through the area; however, disputes over proposed highway routing in the vicinity of San Jon held up construction plans for several years as federal officials proposed that I-40 run some five to six miles north of that city while local and state officials insisted on following a proposed route that touched the northern city limits of San Jon. In November of 1969, a truce was reached when federal highway officials agreed to build the I-40 route just outside of the city, therefore providing local businesses dependent on highway traffic easy access to and from the expressway via the north-south highway that crossed old US 66 in San Jon. Interstate 40 was completed from Glenrio to the east side of San Jon in 1976 and extended west to Tucumcari in 1981, including the bypasses around both cities.
+
==Career ranking==
 +
At the time of his retirement, Williams ranked third all-time in home runs (behind [[Babe Ruth]] and [[Jimmie Foxx]]), seventh in RBIs (after Ruth, [[Cap Anson]], [[Lou Gehrig]], [[Ty Cobb]], Foxx, and [[Mel Ott]]; [[Stan Musial]] would pass Williams in 1962), and seventh in batting average (behind Cobb, [[Rogers Hornsby]], [[Shoeless Joe Jackson]], [[Lefty O'Doul]], [[Ed Delahanty]] and [[Tris Speaker]]). His career batting average is the highest of any player who played his entire career in the post-1920 [[live-ball era]].
  
−
Originally, highway officials planned for the last section of US 66 to be bypassed by interstates in Texas, but as was the case in many places, lawsuits held up construction of the new interstates. The US Highway 66 Association had become a voice for the people who feared the loss of their businesses. Since the interstates only provided access via ramps at intersections, travelers could not pull directly off a highway into a business. At first, plans were laid out to allow (mainly national chains) to be placed in interstate medians. Such lawsuits effectively prevented this on all but toll roads. Some towns in Missouri threatened to sue the state if the US 66 designation was removed from the road, though lawsuits never materialized.
+
Williams was also second to Ruth in career slugging percentage, where he remains today, and first in on-base percentage. He was also second to Ruth in career walks, but has since dropped to fourth place behind [[Barry Bonds]] and [[Rickey Henderson]]. Williams remains the career leader in walks per plate appearance.
−
Several businesses were well known to be on US 66, and fear of losing the number resulted in the state of Missouri officially requesting the designation "Interstate 66" for the St. Louis to Oklahoma City section of the route, but it was denied. In 1984, Arizona also saw its final stretch of highway decommissioned with the completion of [[Interstate 40]] through [[Williams, Arizona|Williams]]. Finally, with decertification of the highway by the [[American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials]] the following year, U.S. Route 66 officially ceased to exist.
 
  
−
With the decommissioning of US 66, no single interstate route was designated to replace it. [[Interstate 55]] covered the section from Chicago to St. Louis; Interstate 44 carried the traffic on to Oklahoma City; [[Interstate 40]] took the largest chunk, replacing 66 to [[Barstow, California]]; [[Interstate 15]] took over for the route to San Bernardino; and [[Interstate 10]] carried Route 66's traffic across the Los Angeles metro area to Santa Monica.
+
==Retirement==
 +
[[Image:TedWilliams1969.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Ted Williams as manager of the Washington Senators]]
 +
After retirement from play, Williams served as manager of the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Washington Senators]], continuing with the team when they became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.  Williams's best season as a manager was [[1969 in sports|1969]] when he led the expansion Senators to an 86-76 record in their only winning season in Washington.  He was chosen manager of the year after that season. Like many great players, Williams became impatient with ordinary athletes' abilities and attitudes, and his managerial career was short and largely unsuccessful.  Before and after leaving Texas (which would be his only manager job), he occasionally appeared at Red Sox spring training as a guest hitting instructor.
  
−
===After decertification===
+
He was much more successful in fishing. An avid and expert [[fly fishing|fly fisherman]] and deep-sea fisherman, he spent many summers after baseball fishing the [[Miramichi River]], in [[Miramichi, New Brunswick]], [[Canada]]. Williams was named to the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame in 2000. Some opined that Williams was a rare individual who might have been the best in the world in three different disciplines: baseball hitter, fighter jet pilot, and fly fisherman. Shortly after Williams's death, conservative pundit [[Steve Sailer]] called him "possibly the most technically proficient American of the 20th Century, as his mastery of three highly different callings demonstrates." [http://www.isteve.com/Web%20Exclusives%20Archive-July2002.htm]
−
[[Image:KingmanArizonaRoute66Tower.jpg|thumb|350px|Towns such as [[Kingman, Arizona]] promote their association with Route 66.]]
 
  
−
When the highway was decommissioned, sections of the road were disposed of in various ways. Within many cities, the route became a "business loop" for the interstate. Some sections became state roads, local roads, private drives, or were abandoned completely. Although it is no longer possible to drive Route 66 uninterrupted all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles, more than eighty percent of the original route and alternate alignments are still drivable with careful planning. Some stretches are quite well-preserved, including one between Springfield, Missouri and Tulsa.  
+
Williams reached an extensive deal with [[Sears]], lending his name and talent toward marketing, developing, and endorsing a line of in-house sports equipment - specifically fishing, hunting and baseball equipment. He was also extensively involved in the [[Jimmy Fund]], ironically later losing a brother to leukemia, and spent much of his spare time, effort, and money in support of the cancer organization.
  
−
Some states have kept the 66 designation for parts of the highway, albeit as state roads. In Missouri, Routes [[Route 366 (Missouri)|366]], [[Route 266 (Missouri)|266]], and [[Route 66 (Missouri)|66]] are all original sections of the highway. [[State Highway 66 (Oklahoma)|State Highway 66]] in Oklahoma remains as the alternate "free" route near its turnpikes. A long segment in Arizona signed as [[State Route 66 (Arizona)|State Route 66]] links [[Seligman, Arizona|Seligman]] to [[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]]. A surface street stretch between [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]] and [[La Verne, California|La Verne]] (known as [[Foothill Boulevard (Los Angeles)|Foothill Boulevard]]) to the east of [[Los Angeles]] retains its number as [[State Route 66 (California)|State Route 66]]. Several county roads and city streets have also retained the "66" name.
+
In his later years, Williams became a fixture at autograph shows and card shows after his son (by his third wife), [[John Henry Williams (baseball)|John Henry Williams]], took control of his career, becoming his de facto manager. The younger Williams provided structure to his father's business affairs, and rationed his father's public appearances and memorabilia signings to maximize their earnings. Although many felt that Ted was being used by his son, there is no real evidence that the younger Williams was doing anything illicit or unsavory with his father's earnings.
  
−
===Revival===
+
One of Ted Williams's final, and most memorable, public appearances was at the 1999 [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] in Boston.  Able to walk only a short distance, Williams was brought to the pitcher's mound in a golf cart. He proudly waved his cap to the crowd—a gesture he had never done as a player.  Fans responded with a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. At the pitcher's mound he was surrounded by players from both teams, and spoke with several. Among them was fellow San Diegan [[Tony Gwynn]], a hitter often compared to Williams who starred with the major league edition of the [[San Diego Padres]]. 
−
[[Image:SoulsbyServiceStation_MtOliveIL.jpg|thumb|200px|Restored service station in [[Mount Olive, Illinois|Mt. Olive, IL]]. (Photo: Patty Kuhn; ©2003 Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project, courtesy of [http://www.byways.org/ byways.org])]]
 
  
−
In 1990, Route 66 associations were founded separately in both Arizona and Missouri. Other groups in the other Route 66 states soon followed. The same year, the state of Missouri declared Route 66 in that state a "State Historic Route". The first "Historic Route 66" marker was erected on Kearney Street at Glenstone Avenue in Springfield, Missouri (now replaced, the original sign has been placed at [[Route 66 State Park]] near [[Eureka, Missouri|Eureka]]). Other historic markers now line—at times sporadically—the entire 2,400&nbsp;mile (3,860&nbsp;km) length of road. A section of the road in Arizona was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]; the [[Arroyo Seco Parkway]] in the Los Angeles Area and Route 66 in New Mexico have been made into National Scenic Byways; and in 2005, the State of Missouri made the road a state scenic byway from Illinois to Kansas. In the cities of [[Rancho Cucamonga, California|Rancho Cucamonga]], [[Rialto, California|Rialto]], and [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]] in California, there are US 66 signs erected along [[Foothill Boulevard (Los Angeles)|Foothill Boulevard]] and on Huntington Drive in the city of [[Arcadia, California|Arcadia]].
+
Later in the year, he was among the members of the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]] introduced to the crowd at [[Turner Field]] in Atlanta prior to Game 2 of the [[World Series]].  He had also been ranked that year as Number 8 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, where he was the highest-ranking left fielder.
  
−
==Route 66 and pop culture==
+
In his last years Williams suffered from poor health, specifically cardiac problems.  He had a pacemaker installed in November 2000 and underwent open-heart surgery in January 2001. After suffering a series of [[stroke]]s and [[congestive heart failure]]s, he died of [[cardiac arrest]] in [[Crystal River, Florida]], on July 5, 2002.
−
Route 66 gave its name to a company and also was immortalized in literature, popular music, and television. Although several businesses became associated with Route 66 because of their being on or near the highway, [[Phillips 66]] actually took part of their name directly from the highway.
 
  
−
Because the road through Oklahoma was relatively flat and straight, two [[chemical engineering|chemical engineers]] decided to test a new [[gasoline]] from a Tulsa oil company in the late 1920s. The company car they were driving ran exceptionally well on the new blend, prompting the engineer in the passenger seat to exclaim that the car was "going like sixty". His companion looked at the speedometer and said that they were going more like 66&nbsp;miles/hour (106&nbsp;km/h). The combination of the highway number and the speed of the car led to the naming of Phillips 66 gasoline, a brand still marketed today.
+
The [[Ted Williams Tunnel]] in Boston, and [[California State Route 56|Ted Williams Parkway]] in San Diego (1992) were named in his honor while he was still alive.
  
−
[[Image:IMG_1853-vi.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Buckingham Fountain]] in [[Chicago]], the official ending point for Route 66]]
+
==Post-death==
−
In 1939, California writer [[John Steinbeck]] published ''[[The Grapes of Wrath]]'', his novel about the westward migration of Oklahoma's Dust Bowl farmers to California's [[San Joaquin Valley]]. The book described the problems many of them faced, including prejudice and poverty, as they traveled to a hopefully better life. In this book, he spent a chapter describing the path west, which funnels to Oklahoma City and continues down Route 66. He referred to Route 66 as the "Mother Road", a nickname the highway still retains. The book won a [[Pulitzer Prize]] and made the road even more famous.
+
A public dispute over the disposition of Williams's body was waged after his death. Announcing there would be [http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/july_6/son_abides_no_funeral_services.shtml no funeral], his son [[John Henry Williams (baseball)|John-Henry Williams]] had Ted's body flown to the [[Alcor Life Extension Foundation]] in [[Scottsdale, Arizona]], and [http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/july_6/williams_daughter_body_being_frozen.shtml placed in] [[cryonics|cryonic suspension]]. Barbara Joyce Ferrell, Ted's daughter by his first wife, [http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/july_21/Daughter_seeks_proof+.shtml sued], saying his [http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/documents/williams_will1.htm will] stated that he wanted to be [[cremation|cremated]].  John-Henry's lawyer then produced an informal [http://nwfolk.com/2002_07_01_oldpiffle.html "family pact"] signed by Ted, John-Henry, and Ted's daughter Claudia, in which they agreed "to be put into biostasis after we die." Reportedly, cryonics arrangements were hastily made post mortem by John-Henry and Claudia per their family pact. Though this action [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63917-2002Jul12.html upset ] many family members, friends and fans, it seems to have been the children's right under the law.  
 +
 +
In <i>Ted Williams: The Biography of An American Hero</i>, author Leigh Montville makes the case that the supposed family cryonics pact was merely a practice Ted Williams autograph on a plain piece of paper, around which the "agreement" had later been hand-printed. The pact document was signed "''Ted Williams''", the same as his autographs, whereas he would always sign his legal documents "''Theodore Williams''".  However, Claudia testified to the authenticity of the document in a [http://www.wfu.edu/~chesner/Evidence/Linked%20Files/Additional%20Assigned%20Readings/ted.williams.htm sworn affidavit].
  
−
In 1946, jazz composer and pianist [[Bobby Troup]] wrote his best-known song, "[[Route 66 (song)|(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66]]", after driving the highway himself to get to California. He presented it to [[Nat King Cole]] who in turn made it one of the biggest hit singles of his career. The title was suggested by Troup's first wife, Cynthia, who accompanied him on the trip. The song later became a hit for [[Chuck Berry]], and has been recorded by many subsequent artists, including [[The Rolling Stones]], [[The Cramps]], [[Depeche Mode]], [[John Mayer]], and [[Van Morrison]].
+
==Career Statistics==
 +
<table border="1" cellspacing="0">
 +
<tr><td>G</td><td>AB</td><td>R</td><td>H</td><td>2B</td><td>3B</td><td>HR</td><td>RBI</td><td>SB</td><td>CS</td><td>BB</td><td>SO</td><td>BA</td><td>OBP</td><td>SLG</td></tr>
 +
<tr><td>2,292</td><td>7,706</td><td>1,798</td><td>2,654</td><td>525</td><td>71</td><td>521</td><td>1,839</td><td>24</td><td>17</td><td>2,019</td><td>709</td><td>.344</td><td>.482</td><td>.634</td></tr>
 +
</table>
  
−
The highway also gave its name to a popular [[television]] show, ''[[Route 66 (TV series)|Route 66]]'', seen from 1960 through 1964 on [[CBS]]. The show featured [[Martin Milner]] and [[George Maharis]] as [[Tod Stiles|Tod]] and [[Buz Murdock|Buz]], two young men in a [[Chevrolet Corvette|Corvette]] looking for adventure along America's highways. Maharis was later replaced by [[Glenn Corbett]], who played a returning Viet Nam vet named [[Lincoln Case|Linc]]. Strangely, though the entire program was filmed on location, it was rarely shot along Route 66. Since then, the Corvette has become the car most associated with Route 66. The theme song from the TV series, long a staple of General Motors advertising for the Corvette, was written and played by [[Nelson Riddle]] and his band.
+
==See also==
 +
* [[Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame|Red Sox Hall of Fame]]
 +
* [[500 home run club]]
 +
* [[DHL Hometown Heroes]]
 +
* [[List of MLB individual streaks]]
  
−
Another famous [[General Motors Corporation|GM]] product has a strong connection to Route 66: The [[Cadillac Ranch]], located near [[Amarillo, Texas]], features a row of ten vintage [[Cadillac (automobile)|Cadillacs]] standing up at an angle, with their front ends buried into the ground.
+
==Notes==
−
 
+
<div class="references-small">
−
An [[NBA Development League]] basketball team, the [[Tulsa 66ers]], was named after the route. The road also lent its name to a [[minor league baseball]] team, the [[Inland Empire 66ers]].
+
<references/>
−
 
+
</div>
−
In "Graham Canyon," an early episode of the cartoon series [[Rugrats]], the Pickles family take a road trip on Route 66.
 
−
 
 
−
The [[Country western]] song ''Is Anybody Going To San Antone'' (recorded by [[Doug Sahm]] and [[Charley Pride]], among others) includes the line: "Here I am walking up Sixty-Six/Wishing she hadn't done me that way."
 
−
 
 
−
Currently, [[K-Mart]]'s line of jeans also bears the name of the former highway, branded as "Route 66".
 
−
 
 
−
On the Disney's film ''[[A Goofy Movie]]''. [[Goofy]] and [[Max Goof|Max]] are going on vacation using Route 66.
 
−
 
 
−
In the ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' episode "1969", the SG-1 team drives a [[hippie]] bus along much of the route traversed by the highway.
 
−
 
 
−
The highway was referred to as "the fabled Route 66" in [[Stacy Peralta]]'s ''[[Dogtown and Z-Boys]].''
 
−
 
 
−
The [[Disney]]/[[Pixar]] movie ''[[Cars (film)|Cars]]'' is set mainly in the [[fictional]] [[town]] of [[Radiator Springs]], located on Route 66 and bypassed by I-40. Radiator Springs was based largely on [[Amboy, California]], an actual Route 66 town that saw a rapid decline when I-40 opened in the early 1970s.  The film was originally titled ''Route 66'', but had its name changed to avoid confusion with the 1960s-vintage TV show. It opened June 9, 2006. Several familiar sites associated with Route 66 appear in the film, including a visual homage to the [[Cadillac Ranch]], the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas and the Wigwam motels in Holbrook, Arizona and on the border of San Bernardino and Rialto in California<ref>http://www.historic66.com/cars/</ref>. The Historic US 66 sign depicted in this film is the Arizona-specific version of the Historic US 66 sign.<ref>http://www.trafficsign.us/m1.html#m1-4haz</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
The [[U2]] song "Heartland" from their album [[Rattle and Hum]], references Route 66 with the lines, "66 a highway speaks, of deserts dry, of cool green valleys, gold and silver veins, all the shining cities."
 
−
 
 
−
In the 2006 [[Mini-Series]] [[The Lost Room]], The event takes place on route 66.
 
−
 
 
−
[[The King of Route 66]] was a video game made, that allowed players to travel the route competing in various competitions in trucks. A Playstation version was released in 2003.
 
−
 
 
−
In the [[manga]] ''[[Shaman King]]'', after [[Yoh Asakura]] and his group land in America, they are unsure if they are actually there until [[Tao Ren]] points out they are after he spots the sign for Route 66.
 
−
 
 
−
In the [[Digimon Adventure 02]] summer two parts movie, [[Daisuke Motomiya]] and friends were shown to ask for a ride to passing motorists in Route 66, this is also they place where they met Wallace and his partner [[Gumimon]] (known later in [[Digimon Tamers]] as [[Terriermon]]).
 
−
 
 
−
The route was mentioned in the TV series [[Prison break]] as a code in reference to the underground tunnels running parallel across the [[Fox river state penitentiary]].
 
−
 
 
−
An episode of TV series [[Supernatural]] is called "Route 666". This cross-references Route 66 and the mythically diabolic number [[666]].
 
−
 
 
−
==Nicknames==
 
−
Over the years, U.S. Route 66 received many nicknames:
 
−
# The Great Diagonal Way—Right after Route 66 was commissioned, it received this nickname because a large section of the highway (Chicago to Oklahoma City) ran diagonally, unlike the other highways.
 
−
# The Main Street of America—Advertised as such by the US Highway 66 Association to promote the highway. The title had also been claimed by supporters of [[U.S. Route 40]], but the Route 66 group was more successful.
 
−
# The Mother Road—Called this by [[John Steinbeck]] in ''[[The Grapes of Wrath]]'', the title continues to be applied to the highway.
 
−
# The [[Will Rogers]] Highway— "officially" named this by the [[U.S. Highway 66 Association]] in 1952. A plaque dedicating the highway to the humorist is still located opposite the western terminus of Route 66 in Santa Monica, California. There were more plaques like this; one can be found in [[Galena, Kansas]].  It was originally located on the Kansas-Missouri state line, but moved to the [[Howard Litch Memorial Park]] in 2001.
 
−
 
 
−
==Bannered routes==
 
−
[[Image:Rte66FunRun.jpg|thumb|200px|The [http://www.azrt66.com/funrun.htm Annual Route 66 Fun Run] in [[Seligman, Arizona]].]]
 
−
[[Image:CarsIn66Formation LitchfieldIL.jpg|thumb|200px|Cars in a "66" formation in [[Litchfield, Illinois]]. (©2003 City of Litchfield, courtesy of [http://www.byways.org/ byways.org])]]
 
−
 
 
−
Several alternate alignments of US 66 occurred because of traffic issues. [[Business route]]s (BUS), [[bypass route]]s (BYP),
 
−
[[Alternate route (highway)|alternate routes]] (ALT), and "optional routes" (OPT) (an early designation for alternate routes) came into being.
 
−
 
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Alternate (Joliet, Illinois)|U.S. Route 66 Alternate]]: [[Bolingbrook, Illinois|Bolingbrook, IL]]–[[Gardner, Illinois|Gardner, IL]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Bloomington, Illinois)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Towanda, Illinois|Towanda, IL]]–[[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington, IL]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Lincoln, Illinois)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Lincoln, Illinois|Lincoln, IL]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Springfield, Illinois)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield, IL]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (East St. Louis, Illinois)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Mitchell, Illinois|Mitchell, IL]]–[[East St. Louis, Illinois|East St. Louis, IL]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (St. Louis, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis, MO]]–[[Sunset Hills, Missouri|Sunset Hills, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Optional (St. Louis, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Optional]]: [[Venice, Illinois|Venice, IL]]–[[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Bypass (St. Louis, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Bypass]]: [[Mitchell, Illinois|Mitchell, IL]]–[[Sunset Hills, Missouri|Sunset Hills, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Springfield, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Springfield, Missouri|Springfield, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Bypass (Springfield, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Bypass]]: [[Springfield, Missouri|Springfield, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Alternate Business (Springfield, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Alternate Business]]: [[Springfield, Missouri|Springfield, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Alternate (Carthage, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Alternate]]: [[Carthage, Missouri|Carthage, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Webb City, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Carterville, Missouri|Carterville, MO]]–[[Webb City, Missouri|Webb City]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Alternate (Joplin, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Alternate]]: [[Webb City, Missouri|Webb City, MO]]–[[Joplin, Missouri|Joplin, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Joplin, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Joplin, Missouri|Joplin, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Bypass (Joplin, Missouri)|U.S. Route 66 Bypass]]: [[Joplin, Missouri|Joplin, MO]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Tulsa, Oklahoma)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa, OK]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Oklahoma City, OK]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Clinton, Oklahoma)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Clinton, Oklahoma|Clinton, OK]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (Amarillo, Texas)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo, TX]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Business (San Bernardino, California)|U.S. Route 66 Business]]: [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino, CA]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 66 Alternate (Los Angeles, California)|U.S. Route 66 Alternate]]: [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena, CA]]–[[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, CA]]
 
−
 
 
−
==Related U.S. routes==
 
−
Daughters of U.S. Route 66:
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 166]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 266]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 366]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 466]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 566]]
 
−
* [[U.S. Route 666]], renamed to [[U.S. Route 491]] in 2003
 
−
 
 
−
==Related state routes==
 
−
* [[Illinois Route 53]]
 
−
* [[Illinois Route 4]]
 
−
* [[Illinois Route 203]]
 
−
* [[Route 100 (Missouri)]]
 
−
* [[Route 366 (Missouri)]]
 
−
* [[Route 266 (Missouri)]]
 
−
* [[Route 96 (Missouri)]]
 
−
* [[Route 66 (Missouri)]]
 
−
* [[K-66 (Kansas highway)|K-66 (Kansas)]]
 
−
* [[State Highway 66 (Oklahoma)]]
 
−
* [[State Road 333 (New Mexico)]]
 
−
* [[State Route 66 (Arizona)]]
 
−
* [[State Route 66 (California)]]
 
−
* [[State Route 110 (California)]]
 
−
* [[State Route 2 (California)]]
 
−
 
 
−
==Related Interstate highways==
 
−
* [[Interstate 55]]
 
−
* [[Interstate 44]]
 
−
* [[Interstate 40]]
 
−
* [[Interstate 15]]
 
−
* [[Interstate 215 (California)|Interstate 215]]
 
−
* [[Interstate 10]]
 
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* [[Interstate 25]]
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
*''Arizona Highways'' (July, 1981). Entire issue about Route 66.
 
−
* Freeth, Nick. ''Route 66''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-0864-0.
 
−
* Rittenhouse, Jack D. ''A Guide Book to Highway 66''. Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, 1989 (reprint of 1946 book). ISBN 0-8263-1148-2.
 
−
* Schneider, Jill. ''Route 66 Across New Mexico: A Wanderer's Guide''. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1991. ISBN 0-8263-1280-2.
 
−
* Scott, Quinta and Susan Croce Kelly. ''Route 66: A Highway and Its People''. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988. ISBN 0-8061-2291-9.
 
−
* [[Michael Wallis|Wallis, Michael]]. ''Route 66: The Mother Road''. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2001. ISBN 0-312-28167-6.
 
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==See also==
 
−
*Over 300 cities, towns, and unincorporated communities are located on former US 66. Most of them have articles. For an exhaustive list of these locations (with links), see [[List of communities on U.S. Route 66]].
 
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*[[National Old Trails Highway]] was the precursor to Route 66 from [[Los Angeles, California]] to [[Moriarty, New Mexico]]
 
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*[[Route 14 (Missouri 1922)]] includes additional information on the path of Route 66 prior to its creation.
 
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*[[U.S. Highway 66 in Texas]]
 
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==Annual events==
 
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* [[Route 66 on the Air]]
 
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* [[Route 66 Rendezvous]]
 
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* [[Will Rogers Awards]] and Route 66 Festival
 
  
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==Footnotes==
+
<div class="references-small">
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<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
+
* Mersky, Peter B. ''U.S. Marine Corps Aviation - 1912 to the Present''. Annapolis, Maryland; Nautical and Aviation Publishing Company of America, 1983. ISBN 0-933852-39-8.
 +
* Nowlin, Bill. ''The Kid: Ted Williams in San Diego.'' Cambridge, MA : Rounder Books, 2005 - discusses Williams' early life and extensively documents his ancestry.
 +
</div>
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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{{commonscat|U.S. Route 66}}
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* [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/williams_ted.htm Baseball Hall Of Fame]
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===General===
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* {{baseball-reference|id=w/willite01}}
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*{{dmoz|Recreation/Roads_and_Highways/Route_66/|Route 66}} <!-- reason to keep: overview of many links that otherwise end up in here—>
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*[http://www.twmuseum.com/ Ted Williams Museum]
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*[http://www.historic66.com/ Historic Route 66] forum, pictures, directions for driving on the original alignments of 66 in all eight states
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*[http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/ Ted Williams: A life remembered] - article at ''Boston Globe''
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*[http://www.bringbackroute66.com/ Bring Back Route 66!] intended as a petition to recommission U.S. Route 66
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*[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/williams_tribute/ Ted Williams Tribute] - article at ''Sports Illustrated''
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*[http://www.us-highways.com/early66.htm Route 66: In the beginning] why was it named 66, 1928 maps, details of the daughters of Route 66
 
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*[http://www.route66pulse.com/ Route 66 Pulse Newspaper] Up-to-date News and Events about America's Mother Road
 
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*{{Wikitravelpar|Route 66}}
 
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===External photo, video and travelogue links===
 
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*[http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/CriticalResources/Route-66.htm Route 66 :: Web Resources] Including photographs, travelogues and online references.
 
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*[http://monolith.com.au/route66/ Travelling the Main Street of America] exhaustive description of the drive from Chicago to Santa Monica
 
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*[http://www.sightandsound.com/route66.html Photographic images from all 8 states]
 
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*[http://www.cruise66.com Cruise66:] cruising along Route 66 for 3 weeks
 
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*[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3352569471351268902&hl=en/ Route 66 Documentary]
 
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*[http://www.vebfilm.net/content/blogcategory/29/37/lang,en/ "Route 66 – an American badDream“] 104 minute "open source" road movie by netlabel [[VEB Film Leipzig]] about an adventurous journey along the "mother road" (in English and German)
 
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*[http://www.66postcards.com US Route 66 postcards] historic images
 
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*[http://my.opera.com/droog/albums/show.dml?id=126961  Photos from Missouri's Route 66] We Got Our Kicks on Missouri 66
 
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*[http://www.bikefriday.com/route66  Route 66 by Bicycle: Pedaling the Mother Road] Article and DVD Movie of the 80th Anniversary expedition led by cross-country ultracycling legend Lon Haldeman, shot by — [http://www.galfromdownunder.com The Galfromdownunder]
 
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===External Route 66 Landmarks===
 
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*[http://www.wigwammotel.com/ Wigwam Motel no.7] in San Bernardino, California
 
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===External Museum links===
 
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[[Image:Route66MuseumClintonOK.jpg|right|thumb|Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma]]
 
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*[http://www.route66.org/ Route 66 Museum] in Clinton, Oklahoma
 
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*[http://www.califrt66museum.org/ California Route 66 Museum] in Victorville, California
 
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*[http://www.route66museum.org/ Mother Road Museum] in Barstow, California
 
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*[http://www.mostateparks.com/route66.htm Route 66 State Park] in Eureka, Missouri
 
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*[http://il66assoc.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=6&Itemid=10007  Rte 66 Hall of Fame and Museum] Pontiac, Illinois
 
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===External Route 66 association links===
 
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<!--I'd add more if I were sure we need them—>
 
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*[http://www.national66.com/ National Historic Route 66 Federation]
 
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*[http://www.route66ca.org/ California Historic Route 66 Association]
 
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*[http://www.cart66pf.org/ Route 66 Preservation Foundation]
 
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===External articles on Route 66===
 
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<!-- do we really need these?—>
 
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*[http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2590229&BRD=1409&PAG=461&dept_id=33071&rfi=8 Article about Route 66] published in the ''[[Washington Missourian]]'' in 2001
 
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*[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mroute66.html Where is Route 66?] A 2006 [[Straight Dope]] Staff Report about the highway's history and cultural significance
 
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*[http://www.failuremag.com/arch_business_route_66.html Road Worthy: Revitalizing Route 66] A 2007 Failure magazine article.
 
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===External links to blogs===
 
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<!-- do we really need these?—>
 
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*[http://rt66.blogspot.com/ Route 66:  In Fiction, Poetry and Real Life] informative listing of available Route 66 fiction books, short stories and poetry and tales from real life visits to Route 66 landmarks
 
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===External link to Route 66 themed sites===
 
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*[http://www.route66cookbook.homestead.com/ Route 66 Cookbook]
 
  
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{{US Highways}}
+
==Books by and about Ted Williams==
 +
* Baldasarro, Lawrence ''The Ted Williams Reader'' New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991.
 +
* Williams, Ted and John Underwood ''Fishing the Big Three : Tarpon, Bonefish, Atlantic Salmon'' New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982.
 +
* Williams, Ted and John Underwood ''My Turn at Bat: My Story of My Life'' New York: Simon & Schuster, 1969.
 +
* Williams, Ted and John Underwood ''The Science of Hitting'' New York: Simon & Schuster, 1970.
 +
* Williams, Ted and David Pietrusza ''Ted Williams: My Life in Pictures'' (also published as ''Teddy Ballgame'') Kingston (NY): Total Sports, 2001.
 +
* Williams, Ted and Jim Prime ''Ted Williams' Hit List : The Best of the Best Ranks the Best of the Rest'' Indianapolis: Masters Press, 1996.
  
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{{succession box | title=[[List of Major League Baseball RBI champions|American League RBI Champion]] | before=[[Jimmie Foxx]] | years=1939| after= [[Hank Greenberg]]}}
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Revision as of 22:04, 5 March 2007

Ted Williams
Ted Williams
{{{image caption}}}
Personal Info
Birth August 30, 1918, San Diego, CA
Death: July 5, 2002, Inverness, FL
Professional Career
Debut April 20, 1939, Boston Red Sox
Team(s) Boston Red Sox (1939-1942)
Armed Services (1943-1945)
Boston Red Sox (1946-1952)
Armed Services (1952-1953)
Boston Red Sox (1953-1960)
HOF induction: 1966
Career Highlights
  • Last player to hit at least .400 in a season, hitting .406 in 1941
  • Career batting average of .344, tied for seventh best all time
  • 521 home runs, tied for 16th all time
  • Two-time MVP winner (1946 and '49)
  • Two-time Triple Crown winner (1942 and '47)
  • Struck out only 709 times in 7,706 at-bats
  • Hit .327 with 31 home runs and 145 RBI as a rookie in 1939
  • Oldest batting champ in Major League history at 40 in 1958
  • Appeared in 17 All Star Games
  • Fourth in career walks (2021)
  • All Time leader in Career on-base percentage (.482)
  • Led American League in home runs 4 times
  • Led American League in batting average 6 times
  • Led American League in on-base percentage 12 times
  • Led American League in slugging percentage 9 times
  • Led American League in runs scored 6 times


File:Bosret9.PNG

Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), best known as Ted Williams, nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 19 seasons, twice interrupted by military service as a Marine Corps pilot, with the Boston Red Sox.

Williams was a two-time American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) winner, led the league in batting six times, and won the Triple Crown twice. He had a career batting average of .344, with 521 home runs, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. He is the last player in Major League Baseball to bat over .400 in a single season (.406 in 1941). Williams remains to be hold the hightest career batting average of anyone with 500 or more homeruns. An avid sport fisherman, he hosted a television show about fishing, and was inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame.

Early life

Baseball Hall of Fame
Ted Williams
is a member of
Baseball
Hall of Fame

Williams was born in San Diego, California as Teddy Samuel Williams, after his father Samuel Willliams and Teddy Roosevelt. At some point, the name and date of birth on his birth certificate was changed to Theodore, but his mother and his closest friends always called him Teddy. His father Samuel was a soldier, sheriff, and photographer from New York and greatly admired the late president. His mother May was a Salvation Army worker of Basque descent whose parents came from Mexico.

Williams played high-school baseball at Herbert Hoover High School in San Diego and lived at 4121 Utah Street in the North Park area of the city. After graduation, he turned professional and had minor league stints for his hometown San Diego Padres and the Minneapolis Millers.

Early in his career, he stated that he wished to be remembered as the "greatest hitter who ever lived," an honor that he achieved in the eyes of many by the end of his career.

In the major leagues

Williams moved up to the major-league Red Sox in 1939, immediately making an impact as he led the American League in RBI and finishing 4th in MVP balloting. In 1941, he entered the last day of the season with a batting average of .39955. This would have been rounded up to .400, making him the first man to hit .400 since Bill Terry in 1930. His manager left the decision whether to play up to him. Williams opted to play in both games of the day's doubleheader and risk losing his record. He got 6 hits in 8 at bats, raising his season average to .406; no one has reached .400 since (Williams also hit .400 in 1952 and .407 in 1953, both partial seasons).

At the time, this achievement was overshadowed by Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak in the same season. Their rivalry was played up by the press; Williams always felt himself slightly better as a hitter, but acknowledged that DiMaggio was the better all-around player. Also in 1941, Williams set a major-league record for on-base percentage in a season at .551. That record would last until 2002, when Barry Bonds upped this mark to .582. A lesser-known accomplishment is Williams' feat of reaching base for the most consecutive games, 84. In addition, Williams holds the third- and fourth-longest such streaks. In 1957, Williams reached base in 16 consecutive plate appearances, also a major-league record.

One of Williams' other memorable accomplishments was his game-winning home run off Rip Sewell's notorious eephus pitch during the 1946 All-Star Game. Archival footage shows a delighted Williams hopping around the bases, clapping; he later said this was his greatest thrill in baseball.

Among the few blemishes on Williams's playing record was his performance in his lone post-season appearance, the 1946 World Series. Williams managed just 5 singles in 25 at-bats, with just 1 RBI, as the Red Sox lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 8th inning of the seventh game. Much of this was due to his stubborn insistence into hitting into the Cardinals' defensive shift, which frequently involved five or six of the Cardinals' fielders positioned to the right of second base. This shift was a version of the Boudreau Shift, popularized by Cleveland Indians manager Lou Boudreau in an attempt to reduce Williams's effectiveness.

Williams may also have been playing with an elbow that he injured during a pre-World Series exhibition game, while the Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodgers were playing a best-of-three series to determine the National League champion.

An obsessive student of batting, Williams hit for both power and average. In 1970 he wrote a book on the subject, The Science of Hitting (revised 1986), which is still read by many baseball players. He lacked foot speed, as attested by his career total of 24 stolen bases, one inside-the-park home run, and one occasion of hitting for the cycle. He felt that with more speed he could have raised his average considerably and hit .400 over at least one more season.

Despite Williams's lack of fielding range, he was considered a sure fielder with a good throwing arm, although he occasionally expressed regret that he had not worked harder on his fielding.

Military Service

File:Ted Williams swearing into the Navy on May 22, 1942..jpg
Williams being sworn into the military on May 22, 1942.

Williams served as a United States Marine Corps pilot during World War II and the Korean War. During World War II he served as a flight instructor at Naval Air Station Pensacola teaching young pilots to fly the F4U Corsair. He finished the war in Hawaii and was released from active duty in January of 1946; however he did remain in the reserves[1].

File:1944 Ted Williams Kokomo.jpg
Press photo of Williams signing autographs in Kokomo, Indiana 1944.

In 1952, at the age of 34, he was recalled to active duty for service in the Korean War. After getting checked out on the new F9F Panther at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, he was assigned to VMF-311, Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33) in Korea[2].

On February 16, 1953, Williams was part of a 35 plane strike package against a tank and infantry training school just south of Pyongyang, North Korea. During the mission a piece of flak knocked out his hydraulics and electrical systems causing Williams to have to crash land his fighter jet. After scrambling out of the jet he made the comment, "I ran faster than Mickey Mantle." [citation needed] For bringing the plane back he was also awarded the Air Medal.

Williams eventually flew 38 combat missions before being pulled from flight status in June of 1953 after an old ear infection acted up[3].. During the war he also served in the same unit as John Glenn. While these absences, which took almost five years out of the heart of a great career, significantly limited his career totals, he never complained about the time devoted to military service.

Summary of career

Williams's two MVP Awards and two Triple Crowns came in four different years. Along with Rogers Hornsby, he is one of only two players to win the Triple Crown twice, but he did not win the MVP award in either of his Triple Crown seasons. Williams, Lou Gehrig, and Chuck Klein are the only players since the establishment of the MVP award to win the Triple Crown and not be named league MVP in that season.

Williams's hitting was so feared, and it was known that he was a dead pull hitter, that opponents frequently employed the radical, defensive "Williams Shift" against him, leaving only one fielder on the third-base half of the field. Rather than bunting the ball into the open space, the proud Williams batted as usual against the contrived defense. The defensive tactic is still used to this day, and is appropriately called the infield shift. Interestingly, it is often used against David Ortiz, Jason Giambi, Jim Thome and Travis Hafner; all of whom are left-handed batters.

Ted Williams retired from the game in 1960 and hit a home run in his final at-bat, on September 28, 1960, in front of only 10,454 fans at Fenway Park. This home run, a solo shot hit off Baltimore pitcher Jack Fisher in the 8th inning that reduced the Orioles' lead to 4-3—was immortalized in The New Yorker essay "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu", by John Updike.

Relationship with Boston media and fans

Ted Williams was on uncomfortable terms with the Boston newspapers for nearly twenty years, as he felt they liked to discuss his personal life as much as his baseball performance. Insecure about his upbringing, stubborn because of the immense confidence in his beliefs, Williams made up his mind that the "knights of the keyboard" were against him and treated most of them accordingly, as he describes in his memoir, My Turn at Bat.

He also had an uneasy relationship with the Boston fans, though he could be very cordial one-on-one. Williams felt at times a good deal of gratitude for their passion and their knowledge of the game. On the other hand, Williams was temperamental, high-strung, and at times tactless. He gave generously to those in need, and demanded loyalty to those around him. He could not forgive the fickle nature of the fans—booing a player for booting a ground ball, then turning around and roaring approval of the same player for hitting a home run. Despite the cheers and adulation of most of his fans, the occasional boos directed at him in Fenway Park led Williams to refuse to ever tip his cap after a home run. He also won many fans both in and out of baseball by twice serving his country in time of war, risking his life by flying combat missions in the Marine Corps.

A Red Smith profile from 1956 describes one Boston writer trying to convince Ted Williams that first cheering and then booing a ballplayer was no different from a moviegoer applauding a "western" movie actor one day and saying the next "He stinks! Whatever gave me the idea he could act?" But Williams rejected this; when he liked a western actor like Hoot Gibson, he liked him in every picture, and would not think of booing him.

After his famous home run in his last at-bat, Williams characteristically refused either to tip his cap as he circled the bases or to respond to prolonged cheers of "We want Ted!" from the crowd. Williams also refused to tip his cap as he was replaced in left field by Carroll Hardy to start the 9th inning, although he continued to receive warm cheers.

Williams's aloof attitude led Updike to wryly observe that "Gods do not answer letters." Williams's final home run did not take place during the final game of the 1960 season, but rather the Red Sox' last home game. The Red Sox played three more games on the road in New York; however, Williams did not appear in any of them, and it became clear that Williams's final home at-bat would be the last of his career.

Hall of Fame induction speech

In his induction speech in 1966, Williams included a statement calling for the recognition of the great Negro Leagues players Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson, who were not given the opportunity to play in the Major Leagues before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947. This powerful statement made by one of the game's greatest players was instrumental in the Hall of Fame eventually inducting Negro League players beginning with Paige in 1971.

Career ranking

At the time of his retirement, Williams ranked third all-time in home runs (behind Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx), seventh in RBIs (after Ruth, Cap Anson, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Foxx, and Mel Ott; Stan Musial would pass Williams in 1962), and seventh in batting average (behind Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Lefty O'Doul, Ed Delahanty and Tris Speaker). His career batting average is the highest of any player who played his entire career in the post-1920 live-ball era.

Williams was also second to Ruth in career slugging percentage, where he remains today, and first in on-base percentage. He was also second to Ruth in career walks, but has since dropped to fourth place behind Barry Bonds and Rickey Henderson. Williams remains the career leader in walks per plate appearance.

Retirement

File:TedWilliams1969.jpg
Ted Williams as manager of the Washington Senators

After retirement from play, Williams served as manager of the Washington Senators, continuing with the team when they became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season. Williams's best season as a manager was 1969 when he led the expansion Senators to an 86-76 record in their only winning season in Washington. He was chosen manager of the year after that season. Like many great players, Williams became impatient with ordinary athletes' abilities and attitudes, and his managerial career was short and largely unsuccessful. Before and after leaving Texas (which would be his only manager job), he occasionally appeared at Red Sox spring training as a guest hitting instructor.

He was much more successful in fishing. An avid and expert fly fisherman and deep-sea fisherman, he spent many summers after baseball fishing the Miramichi River, in Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada. Williams was named to the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame in 2000. Some opined that Williams was a rare individual who might have been the best in the world in three different disciplines: baseball hitter, fighter jet pilot, and fly fisherman. Shortly after Williams's death, conservative pundit Steve Sailer called him "possibly the most technically proficient American of the 20th Century, as his mastery of three highly different callings demonstrates." [1]

Williams reached an extensive deal with Sears, lending his name and talent toward marketing, developing, and endorsing a line of in-house sports equipment - specifically fishing, hunting and baseball equipment. He was also extensively involved in the Jimmy Fund, ironically later losing a brother to leukemia, and spent much of his spare time, effort, and money in support of the cancer organization.

In his later years, Williams became a fixture at autograph shows and card shows after his son (by his third wife), John Henry Williams, took control of his career, becoming his de facto manager. The younger Williams provided structure to his father's business affairs, and rationed his father's public appearances and memorabilia signings to maximize their earnings. Although many felt that Ted was being used by his son, there is no real evidence that the younger Williams was doing anything illicit or unsavory with his father's earnings.

One of Ted Williams's final, and most memorable, public appearances was at the 1999 All-Star Game in Boston. Able to walk only a short distance, Williams was brought to the pitcher's mound in a golf cart. He proudly waved his cap to the crowd—a gesture he had never done as a player. Fans responded with a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. At the pitcher's mound he was surrounded by players from both teams, and spoke with several. Among them was fellow San Diegan Tony Gwynn, a hitter often compared to Williams who starred with the major league edition of the San Diego Padres.

Later in the year, he was among the members of the Major League Baseball All-Century Team introduced to the crowd at Turner Field in Atlanta prior to Game 2 of the World Series. He had also been ranked that year as Number 8 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, where he was the highest-ranking left fielder.

In his last years Williams suffered from poor health, specifically cardiac problems. He had a pacemaker installed in November 2000 and underwent open-heart surgery in January 2001. After suffering a series of strokes and congestive heart failures, he died of cardiac arrest in Crystal River, Florida, on July 5, 2002.

The Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston, and Ted Williams Parkway in San Diego (1992) were named in his honor while he was still alive.

Post-death

A public dispute over the disposition of Williams's body was waged after his death. Announcing there would be no funeral, his son John-Henry Williams had Ted's body flown to the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona, and placed in cryonic suspension. Barbara Joyce Ferrell, Ted's daughter by his first wife, sued, saying his will stated that he wanted to be cremated. John-Henry's lawyer then produced an informal "family pact" signed by Ted, John-Henry, and Ted's daughter Claudia, in which they agreed "to be put into biostasis after we die." Reportedly, cryonics arrangements were hastily made post mortem by John-Henry and Claudia per their family pact. Though this action upset many family members, friends and fans, it seems to have been the children's right under the law.

In Ted Williams: The Biography of An American Hero, author Leigh Montville makes the case that the supposed family cryonics pact was merely a practice Ted Williams autograph on a plain piece of paper, around which the "agreement" had later been hand-printed. The pact document was signed "Ted Williams", the same as his autographs, whereas he would always sign his legal documents "Theodore Williams". However, Claudia testified to the authenticity of the document in a sworn affidavit.

Career Statistics

GABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLG
2,2927,7061,7982,654525715211,83924172,019709.344.482.634

See also

  • Red Sox Hall of Fame
  • 500 home run club
  • DHL Hometown Heroes
  • List of MLB individual streaks

Notes

  1. ↑ Mersky, p. 189
  2. ↑ Mersky, p. 189
  3. ↑ Mersky, p. 190

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Mersky, Peter B. U.S. Marine Corps Aviation - 1912 to the Present. Annapolis, Maryland; Nautical and Aviation Publishing Company of America, 1983. ISBN 0-933852-39-8.
  • Nowlin, Bill. The Kid: Ted Williams in San Diego. Cambridge, MA : Rounder Books, 2005 - discusses Williams' early life and extensively documents his ancestry.

External links

Books by and about Ted Williams

  • Baldasarro, Lawrence The Ted Williams Reader New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991.
  • Williams, Ted and John Underwood Fishing the Big Three : Tarpon, Bonefish, Atlantic Salmon New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982.
  • Williams, Ted and John Underwood My Turn at Bat: My Story of My Life New York: Simon & Schuster, 1969.
  • Williams, Ted and John Underwood The Science of Hitting New York: Simon & Schuster, 1970.
  • Williams, Ted and David Pietrusza Ted Williams: My Life in Pictures (also published as Teddy Ballgame) Kingston (NY): Total Sports, 2001.
  • Williams, Ted and Jim Prime Ted Williams' Hit List : The Best of the Best Ranks the Best of the Rest Indianapolis: Masters Press, 1996.
Preceded by:
Jimmie Foxx 		American League RBI Champion
1939 		Succeeded by:
Hank Greenberg
Preceded by:
Joe DiMaggio 		American League Batting Champion
1941-1942 		Succeeded by:
Luke Appling
Preceded by:
Hank Greenberg 		American League Home Run Champion
1941-1942 		Succeeded by:
Rudy York
Preceded by:
Joe DiMaggio 		American League RBI Champion
1942 		Succeeded by:
Rudy York
Preceded by:
Hal Newhouser 		American League Most Valuable Player
1946 		Succeeded by:
Joe DiMaggio
Preceded by:
Lou Gehrig 		American League Triple Crown
1942 and 1947 		Succeeded by:
Mickey Mantle
Preceded by:
Hank Greenberg 		American League Home Run Champion
1947 		Succeeded by:
Joe DiMaggio
Preceded by:
Hank Greenberg 		American League RBI Champion
1947 		Succeeded by:
Joe DiMaggio
Preceded by:
Mickey Vernon 		American League Batting Champion
1947-1948 		Succeeded by:
George Kell
Preceded by:
Joe DiMaggio 		American League Home Run Champion
1949 		Succeeded by:
Al Rosen
Preceded by:
Joe DiMaggio 		American League RBI Champion
1949
(with Vern Stephens) 		Succeeded by:
Walt Dropo & Vern Stephens
Preceded by:
Lou Boudreau 		American League Most Valuable Player
1949 		Succeeded by:
Phil Rizzuto
Preceded by:
Mickey Mantle 		American League Batting Champion
1957-1958 		Succeeded by:
Harvey Kuenn
Preceded by:
Gil Hodges 		Washington Senators/Texas Rangers Managers
1969-1972 		Succeeded by:
Whitey Herzog
Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Pitchers
Nolan Ryan · Sandy Koufax · Cy Young · Roger Clemens · Bob Gibson · Walter Johnson · Warren Spahn · Christy Mathewson · Lefty Grove
Infielders
Johnny Bench · Yogi Berra · Lou Gehrig · Mark McGwire · Jackie Robinson · Rogers Hornsby · Mike Schmidt · Brooks Robinson · Cal Ripken, Jr. · Ernie Banks · Honus Wagner
Outfielders
Babe Ruth · Hank Aaron · Ted Williams · Willie Mays · Joe DiMaggio · Mickey Mantle · Ty Cobb · Ken Griffey, Jr. · Pete Rose · Stan Musial
Major League Baseball | MLB All-Time Team
Lou Gehrig • Rogers Hornsby • Honus Wagner • Mike Schmidt (Infielders) • Johnny Bench (Catcher) • Paul Molitor (Designated hitter)
Ted Williams • Willie Mays • Babe Ruth (Outfielders) • Walter Johnson • Sandy Koufax • Dennis Eckersley (Pitchers) • Casey Stengel (Manager)

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