Product Description
1992 MASS MARKET EDITION. WEAR AND TEARS AND CREASES ON BOOK. SMALL CREASE ON SOME PAGES. TANNED PAGES..OVER ALL ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Real Grass, Real Heroes: Baseball's Historic 1941 Season
Great Book.I love Baseball and love the history of the game. This is told by someone who lived it. Great era of Baseball and the players were some of the best who ever played the game.

Service regarding oreder of Real Grass, Real Heroes
It took a little time for the book to arrive, sent via USPS but the packing was excellent and the book arrived in excellent condition.I would definitely use this company again for used books.

Less is more...but more is definitely more!
I enjoyed Real Grass Real Heroes...but wish there were more about
Dom DiMaggio other than the 1941 season.

GREAT BOOK about 1941 baseball season
Unlike some boring secondary-source history books, Dom Dimaggio gives a riveting first-hand account of the 1941 baseball season. During the 1941 season, Joe Dimaggio recorded his 56 game hitting streak and Ted Williams hit .406. Dom Dimaggio has the great fortune of being the brother of Joltin' Joe and a close friend of Teddy Ballgame. Throughout the book, Mr. Dimaggio recalls his favorite moments and memories of his career playing for the Red Sox. Certainly, a must-read for any baseball fan that loves to learn about the history of the game!

A year to match 98'
After the heroics of this past baseball season, it was a pleasure to read about one year in another era of the sport that also included monumental feats by star players. Joe dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak and TedWilliam's .406 batting average are records still waiting to be broken. DomDimaggio has brought us a view of 1941 that is unforgettable. He certainlydid his homework as he quotes statistics and plays on the field in certaingames as if they happened yesterday. He tends to repeat himself a bit andspends too much time on American history, but all in all a wonderfulreminiscence of a great era. ... Read more

Product Description
Traces the history of baseball, which was first played in a form resembling the modern game in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1846, and first played by professional players in 1869. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Story of Baseball
The Story of Baseball is quite simply the best book I have ever read on the subject and will appeal to young and old alike.It is very readable and filled with interesting facts and anecdotes about the sport.

ONE MORE FOR YOUNG BASEBALL BUFFS
With a foreword by Ted Williams this readable, generously illustrated volume is a trove of stories, historical data, and traditions.Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire and all the greats relive some of baseball's most memorable moments.
Ritter, an acknowledged expert in this field, shares his knowledge as he examines and analyzes hitting, pitching and fielding.

Needs an editor
This book does a decent job and covers a lot of ground, from history to fielding fundamentals to famous players and records. However, it seemed rushed and somewhat shallow. A third edition of a book should *not* include blatant errors. Ty Cobb's Hall of Fame plaque may give him 4,191 hits, butthe current verdict is well established at 4,189. A Cobb anecdote("how would you bat against today's pitching?") is told wrongly.The Seattle Pilots are said now to be the Mariners, when in fact the Pilotsare now the Milwaukee Brewers ... that sort of thing.

The author also hasan obsession with categorizing players which he pursues incart-before-the-horse fashion. Some players are "place hitters"and only about 5% of their hits are home runs. Some players are "powerhitters" and homer in 20% of hits. Attributes are then assigned tothese mystic beasts. "Power pitchers" and "controlpitchers" are also introduced, and these animals MUST have certainattributes, too. Why divide batters into these armed camps instead ofconsidering the continuums across the spectra of ability and achievement isbeyond me, but he does. At length. Again. And again. Every point is madeand underscored at least three times before proceeding - a condescension tothe younger audience that the book does not need. The writing is clear anduncomplicated.

A decent editor who could have caught errors, questionedthe writer on his occasional lapses into silliness and told him to stoprepeating himself would have helped a great deal.

There are far betterbooks out there on the subject, but for a younger fan or someone new to thegame this provides a servicable introduction.

The Story of Baseball
This book tells the history of baseball.It highlights the past and present ball players.This book also explains the rules and how to play or be a better player.It helps those who don't understand the game to beable to understand as a viewer.This is a great book to own!Containsexcellent black and white sport illustrations.An excellent book and I amrecommending it for teachers, parents, and students from 3rd grade throughthe 12th grade levels.

This book was great!
I would recommend it for anyone who likes baseball. I would also like to comment on the "misprint".There was a team called the Boston Braves. They moved first to Milwaukee and then to Atlanta. ... Read more

Product Description

Ted Williams is our greatest living expert on how to hit a baseball -- the last baseball player to hit .400 in the major leagues. Williams's career hitting statistics will stand forever as a monument to his complete mastery of the single most difficult thing to do in sport: .344 lifetime batting average, 521 home runs, 1839 RBI and 2654 hits.

The Science of Hitting has reigned as the classic handbook on hitting since being published in 1971 -- and now it's even better! Ted's hitting advice has been updated, and exciting new color graphics and photos have been added to enhance your reading pleasure. The Gallery of Great Hitters has been expanded to include Ted's choices for the best hitters of the '70s and '80s: look inside to see who made the cut!

You'll still find all of Ted's great advice on how to improve your turn at bat and become the best hitter possible. Learn:

* How to think like a pitcher and guess the pitch
* The three cardinal rules for developing a smooth line-drive swing
* The secrets of hip and wrist action
* Pitch selection
* Bunting
* Hitting the opposite way

And much more!

Whether you play the game or simply enjoy reading about it, you'll find The Science of Hitting an unforgettable addition to your sports library.Amazon.com Review
As a boy, all Ted Williams wanted was to be the best hitter there everwas. Through his storied tenure with the Red Sox, he pretty much gothis wish. He not only hit, he knew how to hit; there was nokeener, more devoted, more articulate student of the art. TheScience of Hitting is his comprehensive book of wisdom andanecdote, a baseball bible that offers clear, concise,well-illustrated, fundamental information on how to hit a baseballand, just as important, how to think about hitting abaseball. Williams's first commandment is "Get a good pitch tohit," and, in one of baseball's most dramatic teaching tools--aphotograph that divides his strike zone into 77 baseballs, seven wideby 11 high--Williams projects what he would hit at each pitchlocation, from .230 on the low-outside strike to .400 in what hecalled his "happy zone," the heart of the plate belthigh. In 1941, that happy zone was obviously ecstatic; Williams hit.406 that year, the last to break the magic .400 barrier. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (72)

Old school approach to hitting
Very good book for developing a hitter.While this is very old, the fundamentals of hitting a ball stay pretty much the same.I'd recommend it to the young (mid teen +) who want to bring their game to the next level.

It works!
My son is a 10 year-old player and I am a 45 year-old player.We both have improved from reading Ted Williams wisdom about hitting.My son was having trouble pulling the inside pitches.He was hitting line-drives and grounders to the opposite field, but the inside pitches were usually fouled off or taken.Ted Williams explained how clearing the hips is essential for power and hitting the inside pitch with authority.My son read those words and began thinking about his approach differently.He is now ripping balls to right field (He's a lefty).I have been doing the same.I had always been a line-drive hitter through college ball, but now I have found power that I did not seem to have before.It's all in the head.

Damaged Book Cover but Fast Refund
I got my book with a damaged cover (it is soft back cardboard cover) and called the sender. No response. I then wrote an email and got a refund for my book but still have the book as they did not give me money to send it back. I wanted a "new" book as advertised to give to author to sign but would not give damaged book for autograph. Phone calls were not returned but email worked.

THE BIBLE OF BASEBALL HITTING SECRETS
THIS BOOK IS A CLASSIC, WRITTEN BY THE MASTER HIMSELF, TED WILLIAMS.MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE PROS IN THE EARLY 70'S. THIS BOOK WAS THE MAJOR INFLUENCE IN HIS HITTING CAREER, AND THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES BY WHICH HE FOLLOWED TO GIVE HIMSELF AN OVERALL HITTING AVERAGE OF .360 FOR HIS JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS AT USC UNDER COACH ROD DEDEAUX (WITH WOOD BATS!)
MY HUSBAND IS NOW A BASEBALL COACH, SPECIALIZING IN HITTING INSTRUCTION. MOST OF THE TEACHING HE DOES IS FROM THIS BOOK.ANY HITTER AT ANY AGE CAN BENEFIT FROM THE ADVICE TED WILLIAMS GIVES IN THIS INSIGHTFUL MANUAL.IT INCLUDES A COLORED HITTING CHART THAT SHOWS WHICH PITCHES IN THE STRIKE ZONE GAVE HIM A BETTER HITTING AVERAGE, AND WHICH ONES HE AVOIDED UNLESS HE WAS IN A 3-2 SITUATION.A MUST-HAVE BOOK FOR ANY SERIOUS BASEBALL PLAYER.

A Classic by the greatest hitter of ALL time!
Nice book which discusses the mental and "spiritual" aspect of hitting. A must for every hitter from high school to college to professional. Not so much a "how to" book but rather a "why" manual for the hitter who has the passion to spend the time and effort to get better and master the art of hitting. An absolute must for hitters. ... Read more

Product Description
On September 28, 1960-a day that will live forever in the hearts of fans-Red Sox slugger Ted Williams stepped up to the plate for his last at-bat in Fenway Park. Seizing the occasion, he belted a solo home run- a storybook ending to a storied career. In the stands that afternoon was 28-year-old John Updike, inspired by the moment to make his lone venture into the field of sports reporting. More than just a matchless account of that fabled final game, Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu is a brilliant evocation of Williams' competitive spirit, an intensity of dedication that still "crowds the throat with joy."
Now, on the 50th anniversary of the dramatic exit of baseball's greatest hitter, The Library of America presents a commemorative edition of Hub Fans, prepared by the author just months before his death. To the classic final version of the essay, long out-of- print, Updike added an autobiographical preface and a substantial new afterword. Here is a baseball book for the ages, a fan's notes of the very highest order. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The praise is deserved but a word of reservation
I have read Updike's essay many times. It is as all agree, a masterwork. For many it is the beginning of a new kind of sportswriting , more personal, literary, metaphoric. Updike went to bat only one time as a sportswriter and hit the homerun of homeruns.
I have some reservations however about the piece, and the whole take on Ted Williams. For Updike Williams was a consummate, dedicated artist, a man of singular devotion and ability. But Baseball is different from Writing. Baseball is a Team Game.
For Williams whose team was in eighth place in an eight- team league when he hit the homerun in his last time at bat the accomplisments were often solely for himself . For his rival Dimaggio the accomplishments were for a team on the way to winning the pennant. Moreover in the commonplace comparison of the time Willimas went six for six when theRed Sox won 14-3 but Dimaggio went one for four when that one was the winning hit in a key game. There was always the comparison of Williams who did not hit in the clutch the way Dimaggio did.
In other words ,Updike's essay focuses not on the whole story of Williams but rather on his singular accomplishments and virtuoso greatness.
That said it is still a wonderful read done with that Updikean metaphorical precision, that style which seemed to cram each sentence with detailed perception and often beauty.

The Godliness of Ted Willams as Portrayed by his Disciple, John Updike
For any baseball aficionado, but especially for Boston Red Sox fans, the Library of America has just published a sacred tomb:a reprint of John Updike's famous New Yorker article on Ted Williams' last game for the Boston Red Sox.

Updike's reporting on Williams and his love-hate relationship with Boston, its sportswriters and Red Sox fans is a classic.

Even better, this edition also includes some nifty footnotes by the late Updike, written only months before his death last year, as well as excerpts from an article Updike wrote on Williams for Sport Magazine in 1986 and the obituary Updike wrote for the New York Times Magazine, marking Williams' death in 2002.

Updike's writing on Williams is a treasure trove for baseball fans that could be reasonably described as a holy grail on one of the greatest baseball players of all time.This is a book that should sit on every fan's bedside table to be read and reread even as baseball battles its drug addictions and overpays its current stars. It restores one's faith in the national past-time. Williams was, quite simply a classic. As is this book.

Williams & Updike Go Back to Back
I heard Updike's famous essay read before I read it myself. I listened to it again on the day Updike died. Thank God he was there at Fenway that day when Williams exited the stage of baseball. His account of the game is sheer poetry; a simultaneous dissection of the psyches of Williams and his fans. And now at last it is bound and covered as it should have been long ago. I already regard my copy as an heirloom, a memorable summary of the day when the paths of an MVP and a Pulitzer Prize winner crossed forever.

Ted Williams at bat: "expectation, intention, and execution"
"Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu" is John Updike's loving tribute to the character and craft of Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams.First published in The New Yorker magazine a few weeks after Updike sat in the stands of Fenway Park watching Williams' final at bat on September 28, 1960, the essay has over the years attracted the highest praise from trustworthy observers. Some of these accolades appear in the Editorial Reviews section above. The praise is accurate and deserved.

If you follow baseball and care about its storied past, or admire the writing of John Updike, then you will enjoy reading this piece. If you happen to belong to both camps -- if you're an Updike fan AND a baseball fan -- then put this at the top of your list of must-reads.

The question is whether you should spend your money on this particular setting of"Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu." The article is available online where it can be read for free on several websites, including that of The New Yorker.In book form the piece has been much anthologized. It appears alongside contributions from the likes of William Carlos Williams, Don DeLillo, and Stephen King, in the elegant 721-page hardcover volume, "Baseball: A Literary Anthology." It can be found in "The Greatest Baseball Stories Ever Told: Thirty Unforgettable Tales from the Diamond" (paperback), edited by Jeff Silverman, where it hides amongst 30 fiction and nonfiction pieces from a motley crew of writers such as Doris Kearns Godwin, Pete Hamill, Ring Lardner, P.G. Wodehouse, Vin Scully (on Sandy Koufax), and Abbott and Costello (whose "Who's on First" comic routine is gloriously reprinted in its entirety). The essay joins a broader array of sports pieces recently assembled in "The Only Game in Town: Sportswriting from The New Yorker," where Updike shares space with Malcolm Gladwell (who writes about failure in sports), Martin Amis (on tennis personalities), and John McPhee (on Bill Bradley's basketball career).

The answer to why you might choose to buy this latest issuance of John Updike on Ted Williams comes down to personal preference, convenience, sentimentality, maybe even aesthetics.The essay has a special-ness to it. Its pages offer a sharp character study, a lyrical capturing of a moment of grace, and an essential moral lesson.It is, to use the corny metaphor, a small gem.Think of Duke Ellington's description of Ella Fitzgerald: "beyond category." The quality-conscious publishers at The Library of America respect good writing and have taken care to design the book, simply as a physical object, to be a pleasing product to hold in your hands.

Three photos of Ted Williams grace the book: one is in color on the jacket (you see it pictured here on Amazon, above). The second, in black and white, is used as the frontispiece and shows the slugger ascending to the Fenway field on his final day.The third photo is near-sepia in color and is spread horizontally across the front and back boards, freezing in time his celebrated swing -- and making this hardback look just as fine with or without its jacket.Inside, the main essay from 1960 (with a dozen fact-laden footnotes Updike added a few years later) is, of course, the big draw.This text (33 pages in this wide-margined edition) is flanked by a three-page Preface, written only weeks before Updike died in 2009, and a meandering nine-page Afterword that served as an obituary for the ballplayer who died in 2002.The preface and afterward may strike you as workmanlike exercises -- common stones wildly outshone by the diamond at the center of the book.

Bottom line: if you're looking for a gift for someone open to the call of baseball and its emotional and intellectual appeal, this is a good choice.The book would also be a classy gift for a reader who's read Updike's novels and short stories but is unaware that the author penned, at the start of his career, one of the best nonfiction essays ever written.

Addendum: A 34-second video of Ted Williams' last at bat at Fenway Park on September 28, 1960 is available online (Google the words, YouTube last at bat). If you watch it, pay special heed as Williams rounds third and heads for home. At that moment the cameraman pans up to show the crowd in the stands behind third base, the very section where John Updike was on his feet joining in the stadium-wide "beseeching screaming." The tape is too pixilated for us to spot him. But Updike's there, absorbing the moment -- and starting work on his own piece for the ages.

(Mike Ettner) ... Read more

Product Description
The giants of hitting--legends like Ruth, Hornsby, and DiMaggio--make everyone's list. But it takes the batting savvy of the last man to hit .400 to make the close calls between Aaron and Mays or determine the difference between a very good and a great hitter. Using statistical information and his personal expertise, Williams provides insights into the greats of baseball. Photos .Amazon.com Review
When the master speaks, the prudent listen. Arguably thegreatest hitter since Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, never one to couchopinions, creates a system for ranking the best hitters of all time inthis gregarious volume that is ripe with personal anecdote,observation, and bias. Not only is the list itself enticing andconvincingly argued--Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, and Joe DiMaggioform the heart of his order--so are most of the shots he takes at somepretty big names. Given Williams's position on defense, a few of hisconvictions may seem out of left field, but if the gospel according toTed deems Carl Yastrzemski, George Brett, Pete Rose, and ReggieJackson underachievers, so be it. And his analyses of current artistswith a bat such as Frank Thomas, Ken Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, and MikePiazza are as solid as line drives up the middle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Unique Perspective On Hitters
Ted's pick of the Babe as the Top all time Hitter is right on the mark. However, Joe Jackson in the Top 10 seems a stretch, and Ted seems to overlook many of the more modern players, after his time. Still, the writing is fine, witty, and humorous, and it's hard to dispute the man who is probably the #2 hitter of them all, (after the Babe). A great book , and amusing as well!...PS- Ted modestly does not include himself!

Teddy Ballgame's Top Hitters List
You may or may not agree with the Splinter's hitters list (Dante Bichette?!?) but it is an interesting read.Ted himself was the best overall and lost too many years to two wars.As opinionated as the manhimself and a good analysis without getting too wrapped up in convolutedstatistics.

The greatest reviews the best of the rest
Despite Ted Williams' personal choice of Babe Ruth as the greatest hitter of all time, followed by Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, and Rogers Hornsby, this reviewer will never be convinced that Williams is anything but the greatest himself.Although I agree with the placement of almost all of his picks, though I do question Chuck Klein's inclusion in this list instead of such notables as Napoleon Lajoie and Honus Wagner, Williams falls short in making the argument that baseball must be looked on as a continuum so that all statistics should be looked at as comparable.With this argument, the gaudy averages and totals of the mid and late 1920s and 1930s will always come out on top, and, hence, Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx, and Hornsby will too.Al Simmons will also be given a ranking.With due respect to these players, who do deserve their reputations as all-time greats, in my opinion, league dominance should be rated more highly than sheer numbers.With this rating,players like Wagner and Lajoie would hold a greater chance of making this list, despite poor power numbers in comparison to later-day players. Other than this problem with his argument, fans of baseball and baseball statistics should be able to relax and enjoy Williams' _Hit List_ before adding it to their arsenal in the on-going battle of who was the greatest hitter ever. ... Read more

Product Description

When legendary Red Sox hitter Ted Williams died on July 5, 2002, newspapers reviewed the stats, compared him to other legends of the game, and declared him the greatest hitter who ever lived. Richard Ben Cramer, Pulitzer Prize winner and acclaimed biographer of Joe DiMaggio, decodes this oversized icon who dominated the game and finds not just a great player, but also a great man.

In 1986, Richard Ben Cramer spent months on a profile of Ted Williams, and the result was the Esquire article that has been acclaimed ever since as one of the finest pieces of sports reporting ever written. Given special acknowledgment in The Best American Sportswriting of the Century and adapted for a coffee-table book called Ted Williams: The Seasons of the Kid, the original piece is now available in this special edition, with new material about Williams's later years. While his decades after Fenway Park were out of the spotlight -- the way Ted preferred it -- they were arguably his richest, as he loved and inspired his family, his fans, the players, and the game itself. This is a remembrance for the ages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

If I didn't love himthen, I sure do now !
This easy- to- read- page- turner provides new insight into a truly great man.I had admired him for years, but with reservations, due mostly to rumors.After reading this one-on-one report by a man who experienced the good and the bad of Ted Williams, I came away with tremendous insight into a sensitive, caring, loving, beautiful human being.Who knew??I'm grateful for Richard Ben Cramer's memories of his thought provoking time with Ted Williams, so the rest of us can realize that there was SO much more behind this man than his remarkable life in baseball.I have purchased this book for many of my friends, due to its' uniqueness, and they have all loved it as much as myself.This little book can be read in an evening, but packs a powerful punch!

Ted Williams, Warts and All
In a paper-thin volume, Richard Ben Cramer manages to capture the many contradictions of the greatest hitter who ever lived and the last man to bat over .400, Theodore Samuel (Ted) Williams. His book is must reading for any Red Sox fan, and for that matter anyone who wonders why baseball heroes like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Pete Rose, Joe DiMaggio, and Williams lead such dysfunctional lives, often estranged from their own families.

Contradiction: Williams respected authority (never argued with umpires and liked the military life), but he refused to conform to societal customs, e.g. wearing a necktie.

Contradiction: He was an obsessive perfectionist, but often half-hearted on defense or while running the bases.

Contradiction: He was a self-centered loner, but unfailingly generous toward charities.

Contradiction: He resented the Boston sports press, but wanted no publicity for his unselfish work for the Jimmy Fund.

Contradiction: He came from poverty, was poorly educated, yet became a dyed-in-the-wool Republican and establishmentarian.

One thing Ted never lost was his potty-mouth, which he used to rail against the "knights of the keyboard," Boston's habitually self-righteous sports reporters who attacked him not only for his lackadaisical defensive habits but even for his failure to call his mother on holidays (she was a Salvation Army worker who wasn't home, anyway) or stay home for his daughter's birth (she was born two months prematurely, but he was supposed to have known it would happen). The more Ted cursed at his enemies in the press, the more they'd dig up irrelevant dirt to throw at him. Things never improved. He also refused to tip his cap for the fans after a home run, resentful of earlier booing.

So why did Ted Williams enjoy such a renaissance in public aspect, especially in Boston? It wasn't because he changed as a person. On the contrary, as Cramer makes clear, his later life (with his life partner, Louise, whom he settled down with after three unsuccessful marriages), was filled with the same profanity, the same volatile temper, the same need to be right all the time that the younger Ted Williams exhibited.

What happened, apparently, was that the public was no longer exposed to the constant friction between Ted and the press, and so remembered only the good stuff: his .406 batting average in 1941, his home run that decided the All-Star game that year, and the home run in his last at bat in 1960, all of which were replayed via TV highlights regularly. John Updike's dissertation on the 1960 home run helped, too.

Cramer makes us understand Ted Williams. Like Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Pete Rose and Joe DiMaggio, he was no scholar. Also like them, he was able to cultivate a specific skill set on the baseball diamond. He became (arguably) the greatest hitter who ever lived. Still, his lack of education and lonely childhood left vacuums in his life...he compensated for the first by having to be right all the time, and for the second by finally admitting to Cramer, "I was a terrible husband and father."

In the interest of full disclosure, the present writer met Ted Williams at two Red Sox fantasy camps.

Baseball's version of "The Lion In Winter"
Ted Williams lived the kind of irrepressible life that Hollywood tried to invent for its toughest actors; old-skool masculinity personified, he was the finest baseball player of a generation (if not all time), a fisherman worthy of Hemingway's prose, and a lifelong Marine who served his country in not one but TWO deadly wars, the second of which nearly cost him his own life.

He was the eternal paradox, the New England sports hero with the "When Guns Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Have Guns" bumper sticker on his pick-up truck, the all-time All-Star outfielder who practiced his swing while playing defense, the surly bane to those in the sports press charged with selling his image to the Boston public, and the eternal cynic who could never fully give himself to the public's adoration because he would always hear the 2 or 3 boos among the thousands of cheers his very presence on the field generated.

This book does a fine job of encapsulating the highlights of Williams' career, covered sparingly among a (then) current interview of the man as living legend approaching his 70's.But the real joy and success of the book is the author's capturing the essence of the magnitude of Williams to the point that you can't possibly help but feel that you are listening to the man thunder away in your own living room, rather than from a far-off house in the Florida Keys (or from the more appropriate peak of Mount Olympus).Most enjoyable to me is the author's penchant FOR PRINTING WILLIAMS' QUOTES IN ALL CAPS (wherein I can't help but read them aloud -and at suitable volume- to my fiancee', much to her dismay).

We have a suitable account of Williams' life after his time as an active player and manager, but before his health began to rapidly deteriorate.It is a full portrait, balancing the more infamous qualities of the man with those that Williams fiercely guarded during his lifetime; that he was, beneath the callous exterior, as warm and giving a soul that baseball would be far more fortunate than it deserves to have as an ambassador today.
It's a joy to read, seemingly almost an afterthought in its brevity, but when considered that it was only ever supposed to be an article for Esquire magazine, it surely ranks among the finest sports writing of all time.

Teddy Ballgame At His Finest
Richard Ben Cramer wrote a somewhat controversial but well-researched biography of Joe DiMaggio. The major difference between this excellent portrait, and the latter project, was that we see and hear the protagonist in his own words. At times, it is a loud, booming voice full of life, stories, regrets, and accomplishments of one of our sporting legends.

Mr. Cramer does a masterful job weaving this interesting portrayal. This book is rather brief compared to the DiMaggio biography; however, it has more "life." The bulk of this work concentrates upon an interview that took place in 1986. It is written in such a way that the author fades into the background. In a strange sense, the reader feels present. As if we are sitting with Mr. Williams in his living room, and spellbound to imagine what will come next. The sheer force of his personality makes this a very entertaining and informative read.

Compared to the modern day ballplayer, Mr. Williams was indeed a rare bird. He had interesting and intriguing opinions about hitting, fishing, flying jet planes, marriage, lemonade, fickle fans, and the traffic patterns of the Florida Keys. ;-) He is both arrogant and enchanting, if one can imagine such a thing. Mr. Cramer draws out Williams in a way that writers of his own era failed to do. He showed him respect and deference, but like so many of the fish that Williams loved to catch, didn't allow him off the hook on tough subjects. In a way, this interview perhaps was a cathartic exercise for Mr. Williams.

The unfortunate circumstances that surrounded his death made this book quite pertinent. What do we think of him now? The best hitter to ever live, a true American patriot, a lover of the great outdoors, and a man who defined life in his own strike zone.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this excellent work by Mr. Cramer.

Truly a work of art!
This book is deceptively short, yet like Ted Williams swinging at a baseball in his prime --- it packs one hell of wallop! Amazingly, the reader gets a very well-rounded picture of Williams the man, Williams the out-sized legend, Williams the S.O.B. and of course in his most famous guise as baseball's "greatest hitter who ever lived." The last man ever to hit .400 for a season with 521 career home runs to his credit (including one on his last ever time at bat), he was also the only man ever elected to both the baseball and fly-fishing halls of fame. His life was extremely rich and full and reads like it was five lifetimes rolled into one. A fighter pilot during WWII, many argue he may have even forfeited some of his best years in baseball to serve his country.... Considering his well-established contributions to the science of hitting, that's a scary thought! Anyway, if you're looking for a short and breezy read on one of baseball's all-time-greats look no further than this book by Richard Ben Cramer. ... Read more

Product Description
Ted's take on the top 25 sluggers of all time

Ted Williams, arguably the greatest pure hitter in baseball history, ranks his favorites for the top 25 sluggers of all time, from Babe Ruth to Josh Gibson. Originally published in 1996, Ted Williams' Hit List has sold thousands of copies, proving that when the master speaks, people listen. Here, he brings together statistical analysis, personal anecdotes, and a liberal dose of "Teddy Ballgame" bravado to offer insight into the swings and slams of sluggers past.

Williams discusses sluggers such as:

• Lou Gehrig
• Joe DiMaggio
• Ty Cobb
• Stan Musial
• Hank Aaron
• "Shoeless" Joe Jackson
• Willie Mays
• Hank Greenberg
• Mickey Mantle
• Frank Robinson
• Mike Schmidt

Totally repackaged in a handsome paperback volume, this indispensable bestseller from baseball's beloved "Splendid Splinter" will appeal to everyone who continues to be mesmerized by the Williams mystique. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For Baseball fans who follow the hitters
This is not a book on the art, the technique of successful hitting. It's a book about results - the numbers compiled and compared. The book is centered around Ted's Top 25 - sans Splinter. (In "my book" he's second to another guy who got his start in Boston).
It's very refreshing that this is a collaboration, with Jim Prime, yet the writing is expressive of the great personality of Ted. In your mind you can hear his voice as he discusses his choices.
I was fascinated to read such details as home ballpark dimensions in a player's career; to note that (it seems) the "livelier" the ball, the more "they brought the fences in".
The language is all Baseball throughout the statistical analysis.
This work causes one to reflect on today's sluggers/hitters and who might make such a list a little down the road. But I doubt that it could be as compelling as told by someone other than Williams. (And that statement is from a Yankee fan!).
Recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
He was The Kid. The Splendid Splinter. Teddy Ballgame. One of the greatest figures of his generation, and arguably the greatest baseball hitter of all time.But what made Ted Williams a legend – and a lightning rod for controversy in life and in death?What motivated him to interrupt his Hall of Fame career twice to serve his country as a fighter pilot; to embrace his fans while tangling with the media; to retreat from the limelight whenever possible into his solitary love of fishing; and to become the most famous man ever to have his body cryogenically frozen after his death? New York Times bestselling author Leigh Montville, who wrote the celebrated Sports Illustrated obituary of Ted Williams, now delivers an intimate, riveting account of this extraordinary life.

Still a gangly teenager when he stepped into a Boston Red Sox uniform in 1939, Williams’s boisterous personality and penchant for towering home runs earned him adoring admirers--the fans--and venomous critics--the sportswriters.In 1941, the entire country followed Williams's stunning .406 season, a record that has not been touched in over six decades. At the pinnacle of his prime, Williams left Boston to train and serve as a fighter pilot in World War II, missing three full years of baseball. He was back in 1946, dominating the sport alongside teammates Dominic DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, and Bobby Doerr. But Williams left baseball again in 1952 to fight in Korea, where he flew thirty-nine combat missions—crash-landing his flaming, smoke-filled plane, in one famous episode.

Ted Willams's personal life was equally colorful. His attraction to women (and their attraction to him) was a constant. He was married and divorced three times and he fathered two daughters and a son. He was one of corporate America's first modern spokesmen, and he remained, nearly into his eighties, a fiercely devoted fisherman.With his son, John Henry Williams, he devoted his final years to the sports memorabilia business, even as illness overtook him.And in death, controversy and public outcry followed Williams and the disagreements between his children over the decision to have his body preserved for future resuscitation in a cryonics facility--a fate, many argue, Williams never wanted.

With unmatched verve and passion, and drawing upon hundreds of interviews, acclaimed best-selling author Leigh Montville brings to life Ted Williams's superb triumphs, lonely tragedies, and intensely colorful personality, in a biography that is fitting of an American hero and legend.Amazon.com Review
Leigh Montville's Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero is the definitive biography that baseball fans have been waiting for. Montville, who was a sports columnist for the Boston Globe and then a senior writer for Sports Illustrated is an admitted Red Sox and Williams fanatic, and his passion for his hero rings clearly from every page, along with his clear baseball expertise. But Montville does not hide Williams's flaws. The young Williams was temperamental and justified bad behavior with batting prowess that could excuse just about anything. Quick to anger, "the Kid" had a gift for foul language, too.

Montville's study offers insides accounts of Williams's obsessive development as a hitter and his constant struggle to perfect his swing (mistakenly called "natural" by sports writers with little understanding of his extensive preparation). The chapter on 1941, perhaps the greatest year in his career, draws on research and interviews never before published. Montville lets whole passages stand uninterrupted--from Williams's manager, Joe Cronin, from his teammate Dom DiMaggio, and from other players and baseball officials who tell the story of Williams's quest for a .400 batting average. The tale of the final day of the season (when he refused to be benched and went six for eight in a double header to jump from .39955 to his final total, .406) is as pulse-pounding as any thriller.

Alongside its essential focus on Williams's baseball life, the book also delves into his military service during both World War II and the Korean War, his passion for sports fishing, and his commitment to helping children through the Jimmy Fund. Finally, Montville devotes a chapter to the controversy after Williams's death, exposing the back-and-forth among Williams's heirs in the bizarre decision to freeze his body in a cryogenic warehouse in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Montville's biography makes a good case that Williams was, if not the greatest hitter ever to play the game, certainly among them. For his focused, scientific approach to hitting, Williams is unmatched in the history of the game. His life, marred perhaps by a temper and occasional immaturity that soured his reputation in Boston, is one of true sports greatness. Early in the book, Montville argues that Williams is less appreciated today than he might be because he played out most of his 19-year career in the era before televised highlights. But with Montville's efforts to capture first-hand accounts of Williams's achievements, The Splendid Splinter's legacy is assured. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Baseball's Greatest Hitter?
Leigh Montville has compiled a wonderful biography of one of baseball's most enigmatic players, and perhaps the game's greatest hitter of all-time---Ted Williams.Clearly, the author has a great deal of respect for Williams' hitting prowess; however, he gives a balanced perspective on the human side of the player; a man with a short temper and generally sullen attitude towards his teammates, fans, and sportswriters.Certainly, this attitude probably cost him the MVP Award on at least a couple of occasions, most notably in 1941, when all he did was hit .406 that year.

Williams was driven by a passion to be the greatest hitter to play the game, and amassed an impressive .344 lifetime batting average, with a tremendous amount of raw power; his productivity as a hitter was nothing short of incredible.Unlike a guy like Ty Cobb, who hit for a higher average, but used his blazing speed to beat out many hits; Williams hit slashing lines drives with startling consistency throughout his career, which was shortened substantially by his frequent stints as a Navy fighter pilot.This was a true war hero and a man's man.

Certainly, Ted Williams could be an unpleasant guy to deal with, especially when anyone questioned his character or his desire to play hard.He was frequently at odds with the fans, especially during his tumultuous early years, and his gruff personality didn't endear himself to the sportswriters covering the team.

But to the people who were close to this man, Ted Williams was a man of strong character; possessing a level of honesty & integrity seldom seen in anyone.He simply lacked tact; not good moral values.Anyone who didn't see that, didn't matter, as far as Williams was concerned.

Whether or not you liked him as a person, it's clear this man was driven with a passion for excellence and had a moral fiber that few men possessed; the sad truth is, few truly understood that fact.

Montville's biography sheds some light on the true character of this baseball legend, who played the game at a level very few have accomplished; and who truly was a good man, down to his core; and a true American hero.

Good book, but it's long, and has a bit of filler
There's no doubt this is probably THE comprehensive book about Ted Williams. For what it's worth, I "read" the audio version, which was unabridged and consisted of around 15 discs. The author did a bang-up job of really getting relatives' and friends' views of Ted Williams. I think what surprised me the most was that while the title states that this is the "Biography of an American Hero", he was less of a hero than I realized. I knew that Ted lost his prime baseball years to fighting in WWII and the Korean War, but I didn't realize that while other ballplayers were volunteering for WWII, he was really dragging his feet. In fact, according to the author, Ted could have cared less about leaving the minors and heading to the majors. Much, much later, the book talks about many positives at the end of Ted's career, especially when it came to visiting sick kids. Still, he's painted as an absentee father with his own kids (not present at any of their births, and beyond), an uncaring husband, and he expressed great disdain for nearly every sportswriter and had a love-hate relationship with the fans who pestered him from their seats near his left field.

The book was still good, but it didn't paint a portrait of the hero that I had hoped it would. About 10% of the beginning of the book and 10% of the end of the book are less interesting, especially as they dive into rather boring fishing trips that Ted took or basic aspects of his youth that don't relate to anything later in his life.

A Well Written Biography
I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Montville's book.It's a flawlessly written biography of a flawed but uniquely talented baseball icon. If The Splendid Splinter wanted the title of "the greatest hitter who ever lived" he certainly accomplished that mission.A great read and highly recommended regardless of your team affiliation.

Many hours of enjoyment
"The Biography of An American Hero" is excellent.I purchased the audio book for my Dad. Due to his health conditions, he isn't able to read. I remember him telling me stories about going to watch Williams play when he was a kid.I'm not much of a baseball fan myself, but I thought listening to the biography would bring my Dad some happiness.Turns out I've enjoyed it myself.This is a great story about a true American hero.My Dad and I have gotten many hours of enjoyment listening to Ted's life story together.I would highly recommend it to anyone, whether baseball fan or not.

WILLIAMS IS NOT A GOD
I always loved Ted Williams more than any other athlete. He truly was an American hero. However, some of his comments about Jesus Christ in this book are disturbing to me, and while I will always admire him, I admire him less because of what he said. ... Read more

Product Description
To many fans, Hall of Famer Ted Williams is baseball. The Boston Red Sox left-fielder dominated the game in the 1940s, achieving astounding hitting records, including 521 home runs and a career .344 batting average; he was also the last player to bat .400 in a season. As good as he was, many wonder what the Splendid Splinter could have been if he hadn’t missed five years of the game serving as a pilot in World War II and Korea and two seasons due to injuries. In addition to hundreds of photographs, this attractive volume includes Williams’s candid words about his life on the field and off, a firsthand account that will certainly become a collector’s item for all baseball fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A must have for the Williams Fan.
The definitive book on the complete life of Ted Williams.This is not simply a re-hashing of every picture of Ted that you see time after time.It's a fresh look through his own words and some magnificent photos that must have been sitting in his attic.You really get the feeling that you are sitting around Ted's kitchen table going through an old photo album as he comments on everything from the biggest fish he caught to what a "[bad] haircut" he had.

Best Book on Dad
Best Book written to date on my Father.

A WONDERFUL NEW ADDITION
I am co-author (with Jim Prime) of TED WILLIAMS: A TRIBUTE (1997), which was another large-format book on Ted with a lot of photographs. There are quite a few books on Ted.When I heard this book was in the works, I wondered what more there was to show and what more there was to say.

I was pleased to be able to proofread this book in its advance state and I hope I helped correct a very few minor errors.I hadn't seen the photographs or layout at that stage.When I saw the final book, I was blown away.

This is a wonderful new addition, and Ted's voice comes through loud and clear here.David Pietrusza has done a wonderful job here and this is a book I will myself treasure.

--Bill Nowlin, Cambridge MA

Engaging Photographs and Brief Anecdotes
This book will be ideal for those who know relatively little about Ted Williams, yet are Red Sox fans.The combination of over 250 photographs and recent reminiscences make you feel like you are sitting around the kitchen table with Mr. Williams swapping stories about his life while you enjoy a cool beverage.The anecdotes have a crisp conversational tone that seems to have often emerged with little editing from a tape recorder.That makes the book more spontaneous than if it were dressed up to be a formal autobiography.

Some of my favorite stories in the book include:

Choosing not to sit out the doubleheader at the end of the 1941 season when he already had batted .400.He went 6 for 8 that day, and increased his average to the league-leading .407.

His frequent heroics in All-Star games (including hitting the eephus pitch for a home run while going 4/4 in 1946).

Crash landing his plane after being hit by small arms fire and starting to burn while flying a mission over North Korea during the Korean War.

His many accidents and injuries.

His batting performance after other teams began using the shift on him.

Hitting a home run in his last at-bat in Fenway Park.

The strength of the book comes in the photographs.Surprisingly, many of these are very blurred and don't quite meet the standard that you will expect in a pictoral autobiography.The first photograph with Bobby Doerr when both were just starting with the Red Sox is an example.

People who are interested in his swing will enjoy the sequence with his shirt off that appeared in Life magazine."The key was the right swing, studying the pitchers, studying the situations, waiting to get your pitch, and just plain working like hell at it."

The book isn't only about baseball.You will also learn about his mother's hard work on behalf of the Salvation Army, his hunting and fishing, and meeting sports and political celebrities.

Mr. Williams had a reputation as a player for being uncooperative with the press and the fans.To his credit, he shares his side of these events pretty candidly.The famous spitting incident is well covered.

One of the most telling exhibits is an advertisement for cigarettes.Mr. Williams was not a smoker, and clearly admits to having done it for the money.He always intended to make a donation for cancer research to return the money, but indicates that he never did.I admired him for including this event, which he clearly now views as a mistake.

He also is candid about not being excited about serving in both World War II and the Korean War.This service cost him 5 major league seasons during his prime years.He was only one of two major leaguers to do this.

After you finish enjoying this book, think about how Mr. Williams turned his talent to other areas outside of baseball.Have you turned your hand to as many other areas as you would benefit from trying?After all, we only have so many days on Earth to make our contribution.Make the most of them!

A nice-looking, readable book
I found the above negative review of this book far more disturbing than anything about the book itself.

What's the writer's problem with "ghostwriting"? It's no secret. It's not as if David Pietrusza (the co-author) isn't listed. It's obviously a book of pictures with comments from Ted, edited into decent copy by Pietrusza. That's what a co-author on a celebrity book does.

It's very much Ted Williams in the comments -- maybe even to an uncomfortable extent. He rambles on about the press, about politics, and about hunting and fishing, and none of his views are what could even be possibly construed as "politically correct." But I find it interesting that after all this time, he's still his own man -- frustrating and inspiring at the same time.

The photos are largely terrific. The layout is good. The text is interesting. And it's the best photo book on Ted Williams out there. That sounds like a recommendation to me. ... Read more