Set a reminder, because you won’t want to miss “Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived,” set to air Monday at 9:00 ET on PBS. Included in the show is a first-ever peek at color footage of William’s very last at-bat. Naturally, it was a home run.
The career of Hall of Famer Williams, an 18-time American League All-Star, is almost impossible to describe and equally difficult to overstate. From 1939 to 160 (with three years off for military service).
Williams delivered remarkable feat after feat for the Boston Red Sox. Many of his club records stand to this day, such as the most RBI in a single month (41 in May 1942) and the most consecutive games with an RBI (12 in 1942, also Joe Cronin in 1939).
“The Splendid Splinter” is still the Sox all-time single-season leader for runs scored (131), extra-base hits (86), RBI (145), most RBI in consecutive games (18 over 12 games), and the highest slugging percentage (.609), with all such marks achieved in 1939.
Williams, who died in 2002, still owns myriad major league records, too, including a .482 career on-base percentage, the most successive times reaching base safely (16), the most consecutive years leading in walks (6), and the rookie record for most RBI with 145. Williams was the last major leaguer ever to hit .400 in a season with a .406 AVG in 1941 and he was the oldest player to win batting title with .388 AVG in 1957 at age 39.
No doubt, the PBS show, part of its American Masters series, will be a delight to watch. You won’t want to miss it, but if you do the film will be available on DVD and Digital Download July 24 from PBS Distribution.