Results tagged “Ted Williams” from The Southpaw

Rooting for the dead guy.
Roctober is here to stay.
Thirty-one years ago, Bucky Dent earned his middle name.

The Hammer whacks another. Hank Aaron holds so many spots in the record book, but his impact in the game has never been truly respected.

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of posts on the 10 most underrated players in Major League Baseball history. Some might are players who never stood in the spotlight of stardom. Others are players whose whole careers were never fully appreciated because of one achievement or controversy.
He walked toward the batter's box, swinging two heavy sticks with his strong his right arm.
The wooden bats didn't just cut rhythmically through the thick Atlanta night. They swung back behind his head and through racial hatred that continued to sting a southern city and state, then whip in front of him beating back Jim Crow's dying grip on a region. And, finally, the bats reach the top of their arc and ran across the scars of a country that is moving in the right direction.
His left hand holds his protective batting helmet near his Braves blue belt that not only fit him, but the time, 1974. He twists to spit at the ground. It lands in an area that was once toiled on by slaves.
He takes his final steps toward the plate, through the fog created from so many memories and accomplishments amassed over a long career. To be sure, this is not the Hank Aaron of 1955. That was a lean young man with a ferocious swing that attacked the ball with the force of a howitzer.
This was also not the Hank Aaron of 1964, whose seasoned eye, quick stroke and sharp mind caused teammate Ernie Johnson to marvel, "Hank Aaron is simply smarter than all pitchers. ... (h)e puts all pitchers to sleep."
This is the Hank Aaron of 1974. With the end of the 1973 campaign, he'd had his last great season. His talents are waning.
This is the Hank Aaron with the slight paunch.
Yes that's right. Gods can have a pot belly.
And, yes, they can be underrated.

John Smolts' new outfit looks awkward; his pitching doesn't.
You have to ask, how would Harry Kallas have called the triple play?
Why Joe Jackson belongs in the Hall of Fame over Pete Rose.

The All-Star game has given us many memorable moments. Pete Rose barreling over Ray Fosse, Pete Rose getting ambushed by Jim Grey in the 1999 All-Star game. OK, not every memory surrounds Charlie Hustle.
Reggie Jackson hammered a ball out of Tiger Stadium. Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio shared the outfield. As did Aaron and Mays.
So with all that history, what are the greatest performances in All-Star history?
Well, The Southpaw's done some work and here they are.

Thinking about a Roy Halladay trade, one that would send him to the Phillies, is like thinking about Santa the night before Christmas.
Trust me, it is.
And how awesome is it that Alan Embree didn't even throw a pitch and he got the win.

There should be a separate league for Albert Pujols. The rest of the Big Leagues just aren't good enough for him to compete with.
Now that Pujols has reached the 30 home run plateau, we need to reflect on how great his young career has been.
Caution, what you're about to see might shock you.
If toughness is measured in today's pop culture- infused world by Chuck Norris, well, Albert Pujols is much tougher to get out than the bearded fellow.

Justin Morneau helped the Twins win, sparking one of four Mid-Atlantic losses Wednesday.
We're chock full 'o Sammy.
The Phils suffer a 10th inning knockout.
And there was some bizarre news this morning. Bulldog attacks. Toby Harrah sightings.

The title "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived" does not belong to Ty Cobb. Nor is it Barry Bonds to hold. It's hard to believe, but it's not even Babe Ruth's.
"The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived" is, however, a two-time Triple Crown winner, the last hitter to bat .400 in a single season, and the holder of the highest batting average of any member of the 500 home run club.
His swing was damn-near perfect.
He spoke in CAPITAL LETTERS.
He served his country during two wars, giving up, in all probability, at least 150 career home runs during that time. He was John Glenn's wingman and was honored by Douglas MacArthur.
He is Thumper, The Kid, The Splendid Splinter and Teddy Ballgame.
He is Theodore Samuel Williams.

Now that Ryan Zimmerman's 30-game hitting streak is over, something needs to be said. Joe DiMaggio's streak of hitting in 56 straight games is the most overrated feat in the history of professional sports.
What? Are you some sort of idiot? Have you ever watched a game? Do you know how hard it is to get a hit in just one game?
Our answers in order: DiMaggio's streak doesn't mean anything it's pure fluff. Sure it's entertaining to follow, but it doesn't mean diddly squat. In fact, inside, we'll list 10 more impressive streaks. And yes, we watch games, all the time, and yes we know it's hard to hit. Even in a high school game, it's hard to get a hit in four straight games.
Doesn't mean much. What's wrong with you? This is the most unbreakable record in sports.
First off, we'd say Cy Young's 511 wins are more unbreakable, considering Walter Johnson is second on the list and almost a full 100 wins behind. However, we get your point. And if you want to find out the madness behind this logic, read on.

Talk about being overshadowed. Dom DiMaggio grew up in the same household as Joe DiMaggio, so that meant the bespectacled San Franciscan had a brother who hit in 56 consecutive games, married Marylin Monroe and became a baseball icon known as "The Greatest Living Ballplayer."
Then DiMaggio has to share the outfield with Ted Williams. All the Splendid Splinter did was become the last player to hit .400 for a full season, win not one but two triple crowns and become "The Best Hitter Who Ever Lived."
So Dom DiMaggio was towered over by two of the biggest legends in sports history.
Which makes it hard to put his career in perspective.

Only twice in history has either league had the same three starting outfielders in back-to-back-to-back All Star games. Who were the luminaries in those outfields?