Ted Williams

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File:TedWilliams1969.jpg
Ted Williams in 1969

Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was a Major League Baseball player. He played 19 baseball seasons with the Boston Red Sox. He is said to be one of the greatest hitters in the history of baseball.[1]

Sourced quotes

  • "A kid copies what is good. I remember the first time I saw Lefty O'Doul, and he was as far away as those palms. And I saw the guy come to bat in batting practice. I was looking through a knothole, and I said, 'Geez, does that guy look good!' And it was Lefty O'Doul, one of the greatest hitters ever."[2]
Simple: A child copies what is good. I remember the first time I saw Lefty O'Doul, and he was quite far away. And I saw this man come to bat in batting practice. I was looking through a small hole, and I said, 'Geez, does that guy look good!'[3] And it was Lefty O'Doul, one of the best hitters ever.
  • "If you don't think too good, don't think too much."[4]
Simple: If you do not think so well, do not think too much.
  • A man has to have goals - for a day, for a lifetime - and that was mine, to have people say, 'There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived.' [5]
Simple: A man has to have goals - for a day and for life - and mine was to have people say, 'There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived.'
  • All managers are losers, they are the most expendable pieces of furniture on the face of the Earth. [5]
Simple: All managers are losers. They are the most useless pieces of furniture in the world.
  • Baseball gives every American boy a chance to excel, not just to be as good as someone else but to be better than someone else. This is the nature of man and the name of the game. [4]
Simple: Baseball gives every American a chance to do very well, not just to be as good as someone else, but to be better than someone else. This is in man's nature, and it is the name of the game.
  • Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer. [5]
Simple: Baseball is the only field where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be noted a good performer.
  • Baseball's future? Bigger and bigger, better and better! No question about it, it's the greatest game there is! [5]
Simple: Baseball's future? Bigger and bigger, better and better! No question about that. It is the best game there is!
  • By the time you know what to do, you're too old to do it. [5]
Simple: By the time you know what you should do, you are too old to do it.
  • God gets you to the plate, but once you're there your on your own. [5]
Simple: God gets you part way there, but once you are there there is nobody to help you.
  • Hitting is fifty percent above the shoulders. [5]
Simple: Hitting is 50 percent above the shoulders.
  • Hitting is the most important part of the game. It is where the big money is, where much of the status is, and the fan interest. [5]
Simple: Hitting is the most important part of the game. It is where the glory, status and fan interest is.
  • I hope somebody hits .400 soon. Then people can start pestering that guy with questions about the last guy to hit .400. [6]
Simple: I hope somebody hits .400 soon. Then people can start badgering that man with questions about the last man to hit .400.
  • I've found that you don't need to wear a necktie if you can hit.[4]
Simple: I have found that you do not need to wear a necktie if you can hit.
  • If I was being paid thirty-thousand dollars a year, the very least I could do was hit .400. [5]
Simple: If I was being paid $30000 a year, I could at least hit a .400.
  • If there was ever a man born to be a hitter it was me. [5]
Simple: If there was a man born to be a hitter, it was me.
  • There has always been a saying in baseball that you can't make a hitter, but I think you can improve a hitter. More than you can improve a fielder. More mistakes are made hitting than in any other part of the game. [5]
Simple: There has always been a saying in baseball that you cannot make a hitter, but I think you can make a hitter better. More than you can make a fielder better. More mistakes are made hitting the ball than in any other part of the game.
  • There's only one way to become a hitter. Go up to the plate and get mad. Get mad at yourself and mad at the pitcher. [5]
Simple: There is only one way to become a hitter. Go to the field and get mad. Get angry at yourself and angry at the pitcher.
  • They invented the All-Star game for Willie Mays. [5]
Simple: They invented the game with all the celebrities for Willie Mays.
  • You have to hit the fastball to play in the big leagues.[5]
Simple: You have to hit the fastball to play in the big leagues.

References

  1. Seidel, Michael (2000). Ted Williams. Nebraska: U of Nebraska Press, 334. ISBN 0803292805. 
  2. The Sporting News (1994)
  3. Translation: Wow, that guy looks good!
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Stewart, Wayne; Roger Kahn (2007). The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations. Skyhorse Publishing Inc, Page 360. ISBN 160239072X. 
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 "Ted Williams Quotes". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved on 2009-09-20
  6. "The Braves' Chipper Jones carries weight of .400 - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.

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