Review: Ted Williams Bio

(Guest posted by 49er16 from Keith's Sports Journal)

HBO delivered another top notch documentary last night. This time it was a biography on the late great Ted Williams. The bio delved into Williams' life as a ballplayer, his time as a Marine Corps pilot, his marriages, his relationships with his children, and the bizarre happenings around his death.

The first part of the movie explores his childhood. This section really gives you an idea of what Ted Williams would become as a man. He was born in San Diego to parents who really weren't there for him all the time. His mother was more concerned about her duties to the Salvation Army. His father had multiple jobs and was rarely at home. Baseball is what kept Williams active and it became his obsession. Because his parents were absent all the time, this would factor greatly into Williams relationships with his own children.

Williams was brought up by the Boston Red Sox in 1939 and he immediately wished to become "the greatest hitter of all-time." As Williams was just beginning his career, the United States became a part of WWII. Williams would serve as a Marine Corps pilot. Williams had his choice though with the army. He could have joined the Navy and stayed at home to play baseball. Instead he chose to become a pilot. He began his military career in 1942 and he wouldn't play baseball again until 1946.

Williams returned to the Boston Red Sox in 1946. That year he won the MVP and led Boston to the World Series. But of course the Red Sox lost the series to the Cardinals and Williams would become known as a player who couldn't play in the clutch. The next two years the Red Sox were beaten out of the Pennant by the Indians and the Yankees.

By 1953, Williams was called back to action, this time to fight in the Korean War. But because the army was using jet planes, Williams had to completely re-learn how to fly a plane again. During a mission in Korea, Williams had to land his plane on its belly after his hydraulics were damaged by an anti-aircraft weapon.

Eventually Williams returned to the Red Sox to finish his career. Also to say Williams didn't like the media would be an understatement. He despised the media and he wouldn't mind letting them know that. Also by the end of his career, Williams was struggling at the plate. During one game he started spitting at media members in press row and started spitting at the fans. When Williams hit his last home run, which would turn out to be his last hit, Williams didn't tip his cap to the fans.

After his career Williams was a very active sportsman. He loved to fish and to be outdoors. He also coached the old Washington Senators for a couple of years. The bio also delved into Williams' love life. He married three times and divorced three times. He had three children who he had a very cold relationship with.

Through the years though Williams suffered a series of strokes. His son John Henry would take care of his father. Also the movie talked about how Williams son John Henry would take his father all around the country to sign memorabilia. Also the bio talks about Williams' great charity work with children's hospitals. They even talk about a story about Boston Globe's own Dan Shaughnessy and his daughter who was fighting leukemia. Williams would talk to Shaughnessy's daughter as she was fighting the illness. She would make a full recovery. The movie also talks about his memorable appearance at the 1999 All-Star game in Boston.

The movie also delves into what happened to Williams' body after his passing. His eldest daughter said that his will stated that he wanted his body cremated. His other children, John Henry and Claudia, said that he wanted his body to be frozen for he could meet his children in the future. The case went to court and his two children won the case and Williams' body remains in bio stasis in Arizona. In an ironic case of events, John Henry would die from leukemia and his body would eventually be placed in bio stasis.

If you are a baseball fan then you should check out this movie. It is well done and it delves into the many aspects of Williams' life. Just a great movie all around.