American History

The World War II has its own heroes, tales of valor, instances of dedication before self, some of which would always remain unknown. Their feats would never be sung. However the greatest tribute, which we could give for, the Unknown Soldier, is recognizing and applauding the ones we know.  Several people from all walks of lives including celebrities contributed to the cause of the country through their participation in the World War II. While only participation mattered for many such people and the countrymen, it was the role and contribution that was vital to few such participants. One such individual is the baseball legend Ted Williams who served in active combat as a marine pilot.

Theodore Samuel Williams was born on the 30th of August 1918 in San Diego, California to Samuel Williams and Mary Venzer. Sam Williams was a World War I veteran who was running a photography shop. His mother Mary Venzer was a half-Mexican and worked for the Salvation Army. Two years later his little brother Danny was born. The two children were mostly on their own during their childhood days, as the parents were well occupied with their jobs. Sometimes neither parent would reach home before dark, thus leaving the boys to hang around, although the neighborhood had an eye on them when the parents were not around (Schoenherr, 2004). Ted took to baseball while attending the Garfield Grammar School, picking the game too quickly. He was already so much into the game that he would never have it enough, the more he played, the more he wanted to learn. A natural right handed though, Ted would swing it left handed, whenever he picked a baseball bat. His first coach Rod Luscomb would pitch to him for hours. Ted soon excelled his seniors and was soon playing with guys much older than him. He then attended Hoover High where in his first year he would hit .588 with seven homeruns and twenty-two RBIs. Ted excelled at hitting while being the teams leading pitcher. Hoover High Cardinals went on to beat San Diego High, the baseball powerhouse of the time. Word spread quickly and by his senior year, there were many in the professional circles, coming to watch him play. His father Sam now entered the scene acting as Teds agent, to cash in on his baseball skills. After negotiations with several teams, Ted finally signed with the Pacific Coast League Padres for 150 a month. His mother was assured that he wouldnt be traded until he reached twenty one. When Ted signed the contract on June 26, 1936, it marked the start of one of the greatest baseball career. Boston Red Sox later purchased the contract. In 1941, he finished the season hitting .406, wining the first of the six American League Batting Championships.

With his mother totally dependent on him, Ted was classified 3-A which was however changed to 1-A with the US entering the war. The new classification meant that Ted was fully eligible to render services and could be called anytime for duty. However Ted appealed to the draft board, which agreed that the status should not have been changed. Ted soon made a public statement that he would enlist upon setting up his mothers trust fund. However the press and fans got so involved that he enlisted on May 22, 1942. Ted could have got an easy assignment and continued his baseball in the navy. However he opted for the U-5 program hoping to be a naval aviator. With eyesight at 2015, which was vital for target selection, the naval doctors were indeed surprised. His eyesight that helped him at the baseball field was now to assist him in selecting a different target. Lieutenant Frank Randolph, the Navy doctor who conducted the medical check up on Ted indicated that he was good for almost any type of flying. The doctor added that apart from his excellent eyesight, Ted had an amazing depth perception, which could justify his ability to judge ball movements in split seconds. This quality in Ted was to equally assist him in his flying duties too. His eyesight was estimated at 2015 better than the requirement of 2020 (The Palm Beach Post, 1942). The doctors were of the opinion that such remarkable vision is only observed in just four or five individuals among every 100 of the examined age group. Ted was also found to be above average with regard to aptitude, personnel tests and mechanical comprehension for his educational level.

As he lacked a college education, Ted was assigned to Amherst College to study at the navys Preliminary Ground School. Here Ted studied various subjects like math and navigation for six months, securing a grade average of 3.85 out of 4.0. The subsequent four months had to be spent at the Preflight School at Athens, Georgia. Ted was then directed to undergo primary training from September to December 1943 at the NAS Bunker Hill in Indiana. He later went to Pensacola where he set new records in aerial gunnery as part of his intermediate training. It was in May 2, 1944 that Ted got his wings and was commissioned in the Marine Corps. During his gunnery training at Jacksonville, Ted again set gunnery records. Returning to Pensacola, he was designated as an instructor at Bronson Field. His base team, the Bronson Bombers for which he played baseball, won the Training Command Championship that year. Whenever there were too many cadets, the instructors were required to wash out a proportion of the students. Ted refused to washout capable students for which he was even called for questioning, where he stuck to his stand. The war ended even as Ted was awaiting orders as a replacement pilot in Hawaii, and was discharged from the Marines.

Returning to the Red Sox in 1946, Ted took off from where he had left. He led the team in the World Series and won the MVP crown. Although Red Sox lost the World Series to St. Louis Cardinals, Teds recognition as a hitter only grew further. With a 6.3 thin built and his exceptional power with the bat, he also became known as the Splendid Splinter and the Thumper. He won the American League batting championship consequently in 1947 and 1948, and the MVP again in 1949.  With the Korean War, Ted was recalled to active duty on May 2, 1952. It had been eight years since he had last flown and was now 33, married with a child. Ted was to later comment that he resented being recalled. This reaction of Ted was not unique, as several other World War II veterans recalled for the war had vented similar feelings. Most of these veterans were now established in their new careers and had formed families. There was a feeling that they were being called to do someone elses duty. There was resentment particularly because the inactive reserves were being called rather than the active reserves. However Ted undertook a jet refresher training in F9F at Cherry Point, NC and joined VMF-311 in Korea. He also undertook 37 combat missions and escaped narrowly upon crash landing on a flak aircraft (Shettle, Jr, 2009). Ted then undertook several missions with astronaut John Glenn. Ted was to receive the Air Medal with two gold stars for his services, before returning to the US. He was relieved from active duty on July 28, 1953.

Relieved from the call of the bugle, Ted returned to the Red Sox to complete the season at .407 with 13 homeruns. With several injuries in 1954, he retired when the season came to an end. However a change of heart next spring saw Ted rejoining the team. With his playing time reduced due to injuries in the subsequent two years, Ted won the American League batting championship in 1957 and 1958. With injuries and age soon catching up with him, Ted retired after the 1960 season, in which he finished his baseball career with a home run in his final appearance. Managing the Washington Senators, on his comeback later, he won the manager of the year in 1968, in his first season.

Ted Williams services as a pilot in the World War II and in Korea, together with the famous crash landing and his baseball talent projected him as an American hero. However he never bragged about being an important pilot that he actually was (Montville L, 2010). This is very important because earlier, Ted had run into several confrontations against the press and his fans. Given the skyrocketing compensation demanded by todays professionals, Ted, only the last batter to reach the 400 plateau, winner of two triple crowns, stood in stark contrast to this. Off the field Ted served as a champion of the cause of charities like the Jimmy Fund. Ted is also the last major league player to seek a pay cut while still being at the peak of his career. He had asked for a pay cut from 125,000 to 90,000, subsequent to a dip in his batting average.

The baseball hitting skills of Ted recognizes him as being among the greatest of baseball players. With eyesight above that of a normal person, Ted had an edge above the other hitters, which made him a super hitter. There cannot be a major league MVP, and a Hall of fame player who is also a true defender of the American flag, than Ted Williams. Teds contribution to the country is evident from the fact that he got the American League MVP baseball award in 1946, his first season after two years in the US Marine Corps. His contributions to the country may be rightly said to have robbed him of an unchallenged honor as baseballs all time greatest player or at least baseballs greatest hitter. Given his flying assignments in Korea, Ted could only play six games in 1952 and 37 in 1953 (War Eagle, 2010). Including the World War II, Ted had missed about five full seasons, all in his prime playing years.

Subsequent to his retirement at the age of 42, Ted was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966, together with baseball manger Casey Stengel. On the night before the induction, Ted read out his speech in a motel room, where he emphasized that being elected to the Hall of Fame was the most thrilling moment of his life (Sports.jrank.org, 2010). He added that there was no substitute to hard work and that he hadnt met a player who didnt have to work to improve. The Splendid Splinter died on 5th July 2002, at the age of 83, succumbing to cardiovascular disease, marking the end of an era in baseball. Today Ted serves as an example of service before self. Missing out five seasons during the prime of the career is no small sacrifice for a player of his status. Abandoning his much loved baseball, even against the attractive fees, to fight for the country is truly inspiring. Although many players and renowned personalities have contributed to the country during war times, most of these were only token gestures. Opting for non-combat roles, choosing less risk stations and donning roles that are perfectly safe were generally associated with many such inductees. But Ted was a true patriot, joining the marines with an intention to contribute he opted to be a pilot. His position in the navy was best described by astronaut-Senator John Glenn, also of the same squadron and with whom he had undertaken several missions. Ted opined that people from sports only worked as coaches for the baseball teams, or in ways more related to the game. But Ted was a marine pilot, like any of the regulars.

Involved in active combat during the Korean War, he undertook 39 missions, and also suffered a loss of hearing. In his military career beginning from World War II, Ted had survived several dangerous situations including a crash landing. Glenn recalls the day when Ted had to belly land the plane. At about 1500 feet into the runway, Ted jumped and ran off the wingtip (Mayo J, 2010). It was no wonder that when Ted returned to baseball towards the seasons end in 1953, he received a heros welcome. The humility in Ted made him point out, I am being made an hero over the Korean War, which I am actually not. There were about two squadrons with about 75 pilots, most of whom did a better job than me. I liked the job and if I didnt have baseball, I would have remained a marine pilot, the second best thing I love.