Ted Williams

Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), nicknamed "The Splendid Splinter", "Teddy Ballgame", "The Thumper" and "The Kid", 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. It has been argued that he was the greatest hitter in the history of baseball. 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. An avid sport fisherman, he hosted a television show about fishing, and was inducted into the Fishing Hall of Fame.

Post-death controversy

A public dispute over the disposition of Williams' body was waged after his death. Announcing there would be no funeral, John Henry Williams, Ted's son by his third wife, secretly had Ted's body flown to the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona, and placed in cryonic suspension. Fearing John was planning to sell their father's DNA for possible cloning, Barbara Joyce Ferrell, Ted's daughter by his first wife, sued, saying his will stated that he wanted to be cremated (it should be noted that any such intention would not require cryonic suspension). John's lawyer then produced an informal family pact signed by Ted, John, and Ted's daughter, Claudia, in which they agreed "to be put into biostasis after we die." The dispute was resolved on December 20, 2002 when Ferrell withdrew her objections after a judge agreed that a $645,000 trust would be distributed equally among the siblings.

Related Topics:
John Henry Williams - Alcor Life Extension Foundation - Scottsdale, Arizona - Cryonic suspension - DNA - Cloning - Cremated - December 20

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In his book, Ted Williams: The Biography of An American Hero, author Leigh Montville makes the case that the "pact" in question was merely a "practice" Ted Williams autograph on a plain piece of paper, around which the "agreement" had later been hand-printed, presumably by John Henry and Claudia. Whether the document was truly genuine or not, the legal issues were ultimately settled, and after John Henry developed leukemia and died in 2004, his body was also taken to Alcor, in full accordance with the disputed "pact".

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A 2003 Sports Illustrated investigation revealed that Williams' head and body were being stored in separate containers at Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Ariz. The head has been shaved and drilled with holes. Additionally, it was accidentally cracked more than 10 times as a result of fluctuating temperatures in the storage unit.

Related Topics:
2003 - Sports Illustrated

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In a radio interview during the time of the controversy, Williams' old friend John Glenn made the practical and plain-spoken point that it was merely a body under discussion, not the man. As Glenn put it, "That carcass has nothing to do with the Ted Williams I knew."

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The Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston was named in his honor while he was still alive.

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Career Statistics

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GABRH2B3BHRRBISBCSBBSOBAOBPSLG

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

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