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| (Getty Images) |
A century ago on this date,
Theodore Samuel Williams was born in San Diego, California. When
'The Kid' made his MLB debut on April 20, 1939, he (
of course) faced the New York Yankees. He went just 1-4 on that day, but by the time he recorded his
final career at-bat on September 28, 1960, he had pretty much made his mark. In that 1939 rookie season, Williams "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. He made the All-Star team every year he played, won the Triple Crown and AL MVP twice; and won the batting title six times. Those of us who were blessed to see him play in person will never forget the sight. His swing was simple, elegant—almost perfect. 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, after all, the greatest hitter who ever lived.
Happy 100th, Ted!
