The change will happen. Bank on it. So, if we are to re-name the street our franchise sits on, it should be for
the most influential player in its history. Of course, there are
many deserving candidates for that title:
Cy Young,
Babe Ruth,
Bobby Doerr,
Pedro Martinez,
Carl Yastrzemski,
Carlton Fisk,
Jim Rice,
Roger Clemens,
Jimmy Foxx,
Nomar Garciaparra,
Manny Ramirez,
Fred Lynn,
Mo Vaughn,
David Ortiz—just to name a
few. But towering above all those greats is the incomparable
Ted Williams. When 'The Kid' was a rookie for the Red Sox in 1939, he "only" hit .327 with 31 HRs and 145 RBIs. And, while Williams effectively missed five years to military service (WWII and Korea), he still managed to clout 521 HRs in 19 seasons. Those of us who were blessed to see him play in person will never forget the sight. While his .406 season in 1941 will live forever (and likely never be broken), he left a far greater legacy of playing the game right and developing a true science of hitting. He was the greatest hitter who ever lived. The street in front of Fenway deserves his name.
