As millions of baseball fans, including the current Red Sox manager, never saw Ted Williams in action, I feel compelled to share my memories of the Splendid Splinter in action at Fenway Park.
What I lacked in actual diamond experience as a kid in pre-World War II Windsor, I made up in radio and newspaper accounts of major league baseball.
In truth, in that pre-TV era of limited finances and limited sports choices, baseball was big, perhaps bigger than life for the average Great Depression denizen.
Although kids’ baseball in Windsor was limited to five or six to a team and a Crane Community School field imposing such challenges as a three-foot high bank in back of second base and a huge lilac bush in center field, I could quote the daily batting average of the entire Red Sox team, as well as such figures as Babe Ruth and Lou Novikoff (Cubs, 1940, BA .300).
At Dalton High School in my freshman tryout for the baseball team, I landed a spot on the skimpy 11-member squad and batted an amazing .500 (one for two).
After longtime coach Bob Boyd informed me that “you can’t bat and can’t throw,†in quite the then large team my soph year and managed to make the Windsor town team, as most of its able-bodied players were entering the service.
The highlight of my baseball career, however, was the annual visit to my sister in Boston during spring vacations in 1941-42 and 43.
Each year i attended one game at Fenway Park and one game at the former Braves Field.
Williams was a super star by 1941, when he hit the historic and never matched .406 and he was around in ‘42, batting .356.
The Braves had stars too, such as hulking catcher Ernie Lombardi, NBL leader in 1942 at .330.
My views of Williams were from at least 100 feet, but I had an electrifying meeting in front of a Boston photo studio in ‘42, a huge portrait of Williams. I stood no more than two feet from the picture of the slender, handsome, wavy-haired son of a Hispanic father for at least 10 minutes.
In 1943, we both enlisted and my hero worshiping was transferred to more pressing Army duties, but nothing compared to his second hero’s career as a marine fighter pilot, including his miraculous survival of a crash in the Korean War.
In the mid-fifties, while a reporter and sometime baseball writer for the Berkshire Eagle, I attended two Red Sox games and each produced unforgettable memories of a less slender Williams.
The first took place in my left field seat, when several disrespectful fans devoted their entire energies to heckling Williams, heckling him for a multitude of alleged deficiencies, including his ancestry (although they did not disparage his Spanish blood).
Ted muffed a tough fly to the outfield and a torrent of taunts ensued.
“He hears us, that’s for sure, look at his neck, it’s turning purple,†one of the tormentors exclaimed.
A year or two later, as his career approached the end, I had received a raise at the Eagle and could afford a seat closer to home plate.
Ted was not having a stellar day at bat and for some reason hurled his weapon high in the air. He was fined a then huge $5,000.
On a previous time at the plate, his bat slipped from his hands and struck an elderly lady in the face.
She apparently was not seriously injured and exclaimed, “That’s okay Ted.†She was identified as the housekeeper for general manager Joe Cronin.
I have seen only one Red Sox game since Williams retired and that was way back when Bucky Dent was playing for the White Sox, before he beat the Red Sox as Yankee with one of his few home runs.
In June, 1943, I attended a personally historic game at Fenway Park, when Dalton High took on Norwood for the state high school championships. Fellow seniors Marty O’Gara and Bud O’Keefe, along with juniors Walt Murray and Jake Brennan were the stars for Dalton, but they lost 3-2.
Norwood’s huge pitcher, Ray Martin, immediately signed a contract with the Braves.
Recent stories have told of Ted’s visit to the Louisville plant turning out baseball bats and his search for a dozen perfect bats.
My grandfather’s brother, Charley Leslie, produced bats in his West Worthington workshop for Spaulding and Babe Ruth reportedly would visit the rustic Leslie home for a few days once a year, to select bats and to fish in the nearby stream.
As a kid, I was the proud possessor of several Leslie bats, but they were too heavy for me to swing, even for the Windsor town team.
Ted Williams could always generate big news and his death last week produced reams of copy and air time. Sadly, his look-alike son, John Henry, is not cut of the same mold and his plans to have his father or his father’s head put in deep freeze for possible sale of his DNA is a sad ending to a career which inspired many young people, including me.
In Ted’s day, baseball was truly the National Pastime and now the sport hovers on the edge of extinction, its image and attraction irreparably tarnished by greedy owners, millionaire under-achieving players bloated by steroids, and a public with just too many other sports to watch or play.
Golf is one of baseball’s chief rivals, along with soccer, auto racing and even fishing.
Perhaps baseball fans will regain interest in live games, now that Pittsfield has its Black Bears at ancient Wahconah Park and North Adams counters with its Steeple Cats at Joe Wolfe Field.
Golf fans have two great choices this week, with the Vermont Amateur taking place at the historic and very private Ekwanok Country Club in Manchester and the Women’s Futures Tour starting tomorrow at the Green Mountain National on Route 100, just north of the Killington Resort, with its own 18 holes.
Ekwanok, founded by a group including Robert Todd Lincoln more than 100 years ago, was the scene of the U.S. Amateur in 1914, won by Francis Ouimet. This year’s event celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Vermont Golf Association.
The Futures Tour is the next step to the LPGA and some 150 of the world’s top young golfers will be in action at GMN, rated as one of the top municipal courses in the Northeast.
Not all heroes make the headlines, such as recent cancer victim John Gaudreau of North Adams, a longtime member of the Waubeeka Golf Links Club who also served as bartender.
Prior to his death, he established the John Gaudreau Foundation to help under-privileged boys and girls participate in youth basketball.
Donations may be left with Mark Mills, Waubeeka manager, or mailed to the foundation at Waubeeka Golf Links, P.O.Box 511, Williamstown, MA 01267.
Gaudreau will also be remembered at the Waubeeka Member Guest Tournament Friday,Saturday and Sunday and at the Ladies One-Day Tournament July 21.
John Hitchcock of Williamstown writes frequently about the area sports scene.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Berkshire County Homes Celebrating Holiday Cheer
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
There's holiday cheer throughout the Berkshires this winter.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
We asked the homeowners questions on their decorations and why they like to light up their houses.
In Great Barrington, Matt Pevzner has decorated his house with many lights and even has a Facebook page dedicated to making sure others can see the holiday joy.
Located at 93 Brush Hill Road, there's more than 61,000 lights strewn across the yard decorating trees and reindeer and even a polar bear.
The Pevzner family started decorating in September by testing their hundreds of boxes of lights. He builds all of his own decorations like the star 10-foot star that shines done from 80-feet up, 10 10-foot trees, nine 5-foot trees, and even the sleigh, and more that he also uses a lift to make sure are perfect each year.
"I always decorated but I went big during COVID. I felt that people needed something positive and to bring joy and happiness to everyone," he wrote. "I strive to bring as much joy and happiness as I can during the holidays. I love it when I get a message about how much people enjoy it. I've received cards thanking me how much they enjoyed it and made them smile. That means a lot."
Pevzner starts thinking about next year's display immediately after they take it down after New Year's. He gets his ideas by asking on his Facebook page for people's favorite decorations. The Pevzner family encourages you to take a drive and see their decorations, which are lighted every night from 5 to 10.
In North Adams, the Wilson family decorates their house with fun inflatables and even a big Santa waving to those who pass by.
The Wilsons start decorating before Thanksgiving and started decorating once their daughter was born and have grown their decorations each year as she has grown. They love to decorate as they used to drive around to look at decorations when they were younger and hope to spread the same joy.
"I have always loved driving around looking at Christmas lights and decorations. It's incredible what people can achieve these days with their displays," they wrote.
The Wilsons' invite you to come and look at their display at 432 Church St. that's lit from 4:30 to 10:30 every night, though if it's really windy, the inflatables might not be up as the weather will be too harsh.
In Pittsfield, Travis and Shannon Dozier decorated their house for the first time this Christmas as they recently purchased their home on Faucett Lane. The two started decorating in November, and hope to bring joy to the community.
"If we put a smile on one child's face driving by, then our mission was accomplished," they said.
Many homeowners are showing their holiday spirit by decorating their houses. We asked for submissions so those in the community can check out these fanciful lights and decor when they're out.
click for more
