Arguably the greatest pure hitter of all time, Theodore Samuel “Ted” Williams played 21 seasons in left field for Boston, and is widely regarded as the greatest Red Sox baseball player ever to put on a uniform.

Williams, who was later nicknamed “Teddy Ballgame” or “The Splendid Splinter,” grew up in San Diego, California, and debuted for the Red Sox in 1939 at the age of 20. There is only one trading card from Williams’ rookie season. That Play Ball card, which shows Williams centered in the frame with his eyes focused on the camera while finishing his prototypical swing, is extremely collectible.

A 16-time All Star and two-time American League Most Valuable Player (MVP), Williams quickly established himself as one of baseball’s most feared hitters. In just his third seaso...

Unfortunately for Williams, his career statistics were not as impressive as they might have been because he missed all or part of five seasons serving as a pilot in the Marine Corps during both World War II and the Korean War. Had he played those five seasons, Williams may have challenged Babe Ruth’s record of 714 homeruns. Instead, he had to settle for 521, but Williams retired with the highest on-base percentage of all time (.483) and the highest batting average (.344) of a player to hit 500 or more homers.

After Williams’ service in World War II, Leaf Gum was the first candy company to release a Williams baseball card—it was part of Leaf’s 1948-1949 set. The brightly colored card shows a stoic Williams in a gray-and-blue flannel uniform set against a red background. It is tough to find this card in high-grade because this particular Leaf set was full of poorly centered cards and had bad print quality. As it turned out, this was the last Williams card Leaf would make—by 1950 the company had been bullied out of the market by Topps and Bowman.

Williams was not included in Bowman’s first two sets of baseball cards in 1948 and 1949, but he was pictured in the 1950 Bowman set when the company upgraded its cards to full color. As was the case with many Williams cards, the Bowman depicted Williams finishing his near-perfect swing, his Hillerich & Bradsby Louisville Slugger bat strewn over his right shoulder.

Williams continued to star for Boston until his retirement in 1960—he went out in style, becoming one of the only players to hit a homerun in his last Major League at-bat. The historic event was the basis for one of the most widely regarded pieces of sports journalism ever, novelist John Updike’s essay, “Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu.”

Throughout his career Williams was continually compared to New York Yankees’ outfielder Joe DiMaggio as the two starred for rival teams. While they were playing, fans joked that they should be traded for each other because Williams, who hit left-handed, would thrive with the short right field fence at Yankee Stadium, and DiMaggio, who hit right-handed, would excel with Fenway Park’s short porch in left field. In fact, a trade almost happened.

Because of this rivalry, autographed pictures of Williams and DiMaggio together, as well as other memorabilia such as autographed bats of the two players, are very popular items. Short of that iconic object, some collectors have sought autographed copies of the July 8, 1950 edition of “TV Guide,” which featured the pair on the cover.

While Williams’ individual statistics may trump those of DiMaggio, the one thing missing from Williams’ career was a World Series championship, a feat DiMaggio accomplished nine times. Unfortunately Williams passed away in 2002, just two years before his Red Sox won their first World Series title in 86 years.

Williams’ collectibles continue to be some of the most popular baseball artifacts around, and the most popular among retired Red Sox. In addition to trading cards, other prized items are Williams statues, autographed baseballs and bats, and game-used bats, which are noticeably lighter in weight than many other bats—Williams felt that a light bat was key to his quick, compact swing.

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Ted Williams Signed Bat Baseball Stan Musial Hank Aaron Psa Autograph Hof Mays 500 Hr Club With 9 Members. Featuring Mantle Ted Williams Sweet Spot. Loa 9.5500 Home Run Club Hand Autographed Picture - Ted Williams, Mays, Mantle, Aaron+Psa/dna Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio Autographed 8x10 Photo + Frame1941 Play Ball Ted Williams Bvg 5.5(3) Ted Williams Signed Autographed 16x20 Beautiful Brown Wood Framed Psa/dna1954 Topps #250 Ted Williams Ex-m Psa 61955 Topps #2 Ted Williams (hof) Red Sox Sgc 82 Exmt+ 6.5 Undergraded Looks Nmmt(3) Ted Williams Signed Autographed Framed Hall Of Fame Hit List Psa/dna Loa2011 Ted Williams Sp Legendary Cuts Cut Auto Autograph 5/5 Uda Sox Hof1981 Perez-steele Ted Williams Single Signed - Psa Gem Mint 101954 Bowman Ted Williams # 66 Rare Psa 2 Good Appears Ex!Ted Williams Autographed Oal Baseball Hof Signed W/ Jsa Loa Boston Red SoxTed Williams & Stan Musial Signed Autographed 16x20 Baseball Photo UdaAutograph Picture Of Babe Ruth And Ted Williams 1958 Topps #1 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox Hof Psa 6 Ex-mt 1941 Double Play - Ted Williams & Joe Cronin - Bvg 5 (ex) - Centered!1959 Fleer Ted Williams # 68 Ted Signs Psa 7.5 Nm+1956 Topps #5 Ted Williams (hof) Boston Red Sox Psa 6 Definately Undergraded(2) 1954 Topps Ted Williams Psa 4's Card #1 And #2501946 Ted Williams Signed Red Sox World Series Team Baseball Auto Ball Hof Ww2Ted Williams & Mickey Mantle Autograph Jsa Coa Signed Photo Provenance Claudia1956 Topps #5 Ted Williams Red Sox Psa 7 *365312Ted Williams Signed Autographed Stat Name Black And White 16x20 Psa/dna LoaTed Williams Signed Autographed Framed 16x20 Hitters List Litho Psa/dna LoaTed Williams Autographed Baseball W/certificate Of Authenticity, Stand, And CardTed Williams Autographed Perez Steele Great Moments Card - Psa/dna EncapsulatedTed Williams Auto Stat Card With 1 Oz. Silver Medallion W. C.o.a. From Daughter 8x10 Autographed Framed Matted Photo (15x13) Ted Williams With Mickey Mantle PsaTed Williams Signed Autographed Jim Dobbins 16x20 Litho Framed Green DiamondTed Williams 2006 Topps Sterling Rbi 1 Quad Jersey Bat Relic Game Used Gu #1/1!Ted Williams Signed Autographed Minneapolis Miller Framed 16x20 Photo Psa/dnaTed Williams 2006 Topps Sterling Hit 1 Quad Jersey Bat Relic Game Used Gu #1/1!1958 Topps #1 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox Hof Psa 5 Ex Mickey Mantle Ted Williams Killebrew Clemente Yastrzemski 2008 Topps Jersey #/18Mickey Mantle Dimaggio Ted Williams Ernie Banks Berra Musial Topps Jersey #d /27Ted Williams Signed Autographed Boston Red Sox Teddy Ballgame Litho Psa/dna1955 Topps #2 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox Hof Ex Condition Has Edge Wear Ted Williams Autograph Picture1951 Bowman #165 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox Hof Psa 4 Vg-exTed Williams Signed Autographed 16x20 Hall Of Fame Hit List Psa/dna Loa1955 Topps - #2 Ted Williams - Boston Red Sox - Bvg 3- Very Good - Cc1951 Ted Williams Bowman #165, 1954 Topps #250 Both Psa GradedTed Williams 1938 Minneapolis Red Sox Signed Hs Large 25 X 21 Framed Psa Coa2005 Fleer National Pastime Ted Williams 1959 Buyback Autograph Auto SignedTed Williams Signed Autographed Framed Hall Of Fame Hit List Psa/dna Loa1957 Ted Williams Signed Baseball Red Sox Team Auto Ball Hof Vtg Old 50s 1950 Bowman #98 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox Hof Sgc 10 Poor 11957 Ted Williams Signed Baseball Red Sox Team Auto Ball Hof Old Jackie JensenTed Williams Boston Red Sox Autographed Gartlan Limited Edition Figurine #9Ted Williams Signed Autographed 16x20 Hall Of Fame Hit List Psa/dna LoaSan Diego Padres Flannel Shirt Jersey Ebbets Field Small Ted Williams Rare!Ted Williams Signed Autographed Framed 8x10 W/ Mickey Mantle Psa/dna LoaTed Williams Signed Autographed Beautifully Framed Teddy Ballgame Litho Psa/dnaMickey Mantle Ted Williams Signed Framed Photograph1958 Topps #485 Ted Williams As Bvg 7 Perfect Centering.1946 Mlb All Star Game Program @ Fenway Feller Ted Williams Star A.l. 12-0!!2013 Topps Museum Collection Ted Williams Asia Exclusive Jumbo Material Bat 2/51951 Bowman Baseball #165 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox Card Graded Psa 5 Ex Psa5Vintage Ted Williams Ted's Root Beer Metal Door Push Sign

Recent News: Ted Williams Memorabilia

Source: Google News

Manny Machado's 30th double puts him with Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio
NBCSports.com, June 14th

Any time you can be mentioned in the same breath as Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, you're doing a good job. The single-season record for doubles is 67 by Earl Webb in 1931. Machado needs just 37 doubles over his team's final 94 games to tie the record ...Read more

Novel imagines a second life for Ted Williams
Boston.com, June 11th

The year is 2092, most of Boston is under water thanks to global warming, and Ted Williams,widely considered the greatest baseball hitter of all time, has been brought back to life 90 years after he was cryonically preserved. This dystopian, gadget...Read more

White Sox hitters need to follow philosophy of the great Ted Williams
ChicagoNow (blog), June 8th

When opposing pitchers watch game film of the White Sox, it's easy to see that only a few players in their lineup are following that hitting philosophy which was the cornerstone for Ted Williams' success. “Get a good pitch to hit, put a good swing on...Read more

Ichiro Suzuki passes Ted Williams on hits list
New York Daily News, June 5th

Ichiro Suzuki is 72nd on the all-time hits list with 2,655, passing Ted Williams with an infield single in the eighth inning of the Yanks' 6-4 win over Cleveland on Wednesday. “They say he's the greatest hitter of all time, so it's definitely not a...Read more

Colossal mako shark's death not something to cheer about
Fly Rod & Reel Magazine (blog), June 5th

3. This one fish, as opposed to so many others, can do more for science dead than alive. 4. It's reproduction years were limited by its age. 5. While many shark species are in desperate trouble, makos are not. 6. Personally, I advocate catch and...Read more

When Ted Williams didn't eject
Power Line (blog), May 31st

Colonel Jerry Cadick's recounting of some of his “ejection” experiences reminds me of a story about Ted Williams that John McCain told a group of us one New Hampshire day aboard the “Straight Talk Express.” McCain, a Boston Red Sox fan and (of course) ...Read more

Ted Williams has ends in sight
Philly.com, May 23rd

TED WILLIAMS is the calm hand in the middle of the revolution. The longest-tenured assistant coach in the history of the Eagles franchise, Williams arrived here as the tight ends coach in 1995 and 1996 under Ray Rhodes. Now, a lifetime later - and...Read more

Interview with Ted Williams, The Man With 'Golden Voice'
Washington Times, May 20th

NEW YORK, May 20, 2013 — Each year the homeless population increases in the United States. The reasons for this vary. Natural disasters, disability, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing are just a few factors that result in homelessness...Read more