September 28, 1960
Ted Williams Bats for the Last Time
Region:
Greater Boston
On this day in 1960, Ted Williams thrilled the fans at Fenway by hitting a dramatic homer at his last at-bat in his 21-year career with the Boston Red Sox. A complicated man and brilliant player, he was beloved by fans even though he often snubbed them. He made up for his lack of physical strength with mental toughness. He single-mindedly pursued his goal of being "The Best Hitter Ever." He won two Triple Crowns, two MVP Awards, six batting titles, and — in spite of spending nearly five full seasons in the military —amassed 521 home runs in his career. He retired with a lifetime batting average of .344 and "universal reverence" as perhaps the best hitter in the history of baseball.