A few of the best gamers in baseball historical past misplaced a number of years of their careers whereas serving within the navy, however Ted Williams is a particular case. After being drafted in 1942, the Splendid Splinter served in the US Navy and the US Marine Corps in World Battle II. He returned to the Pink Sox in 1946. Six years later, Williams was referred to as to energetic obligation once more, this time to serve within the Korean Battle.
Williams is certainly one of two members of the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame and the one Corridor of Fame participant to serve in a number of wars. (Pioneer/govt Larry MacPhail served in World Wars I and II).
At this time marks the date in 1952 when the Marines chosen Williams from an inventory of inactive reserves for service in Korea.
In keeping with Ben Bradlee Jr.’s guide, “The Child: The Immortal Lifetime of Ted Williams,” Williams was shocked by the information. Whereas he knew he was technically eligible, Williams purportedly had made a casual settlement with then-Commander Alexander Vandegrift on the finish of World Battle II, consenting to stay within the reserves to assist with recruiting with the understanding that he would not be referred to as again to energetic obligation. A captain immediately concerned with the choice course of later advised associates that when the Marines chosen Ted Williams for obligation a second time, they did not notice it was the ballplayer.
Williams attended Spring Coaching and performed six video games early within the 1952 season earlier than returning to energetic obligation. The Pink Sox held “Ted Williams Day” in entrance of 24,764 followers at Fenway Park on April 30, 1952, the date of Williams’ final recreation earlier than returning to service. The Pink Sox pledged to pay Williams’ full $85,000 wage for 1952, and associates gifted the slugger with a Cadillac.
“I’ve all the time believed that one of many most interesting issues that might occur to any ballplayer was to have a day for him, and my being honored as we speak with such little advance fanfare makes me really feel humbly honored,” Williams mentioned in a speech earlier than the sport. “Little did I notice in 1938 that I used to be becoming a member of such an exquisite group and I used to be to be with so grand an proprietor. I want I may stay all summer season, for I really feel positive the Sox will shock lots of people. I do hope you followers persist with them. This can be a day I am going to bear in mind so long as I reside, and I need to thanks from the underside of my coronary heart.”
In typical Williams style, the slugger hit a tiebreaking two-run homer within the backside of the seventh, propelling Boston to a 5-3 win over the Tigers.
He didn’t get one other MLB plate look till Aug. 6, 1953.
All advised, Williams spent almost 5 full seasons of his profession serving within the navy reasonably than taking part in for the Pink Sox. Listed here are his video games performed totals for 1942-44 and 1952-53.
1942: 0 Video games
1943: 0 Video games
1944: 0 Video games
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1952: 6 Video games
1953: 37 Video games
That’s 43 whole video games over 5 seasons. And these have been prime years, protecting his age-24 season by way of his age-26 season in addition to his age-33 and age-34 seasons.
To be clear, Williams’ numbers are excellent, and his place in baseball historical past is safe. He received two MVP Awards and picked up 2,654 hits, 2,021 walks, 521 homers and 525 doubles whereas batting .344/.482/.634. He hit .406 in 1941, making him the final batting-title qualifier to complete a season with a .400 common or higher. Many regard him as the very best hitter who ever lived.
Nonetheless, it’s arduous to not marvel what Williams’ numbers would have regarded like with out the interruptions. Each instances Williams left for service, he didn’t miss a beat.
In his first season after World Battle II, Williams received his first MVP Award, ending with 38 homers, 123 RBIs and a .342 common and main the Majors in OBP (.497), slugging (.667), walks (156) and runs (142) over 150 video games.
When he returned from the Korean Battle in 1953, Williams performed 37 video games (26 begins) for Boston down the stretch and produced a .407/.509/.901 slash line and 13 homers. He missed time because of a fractured collarbone the next season, however in 117 video games, he recorded a .345 common with 29 homers whereas main MLB in OBP (.513) and OPS (1.148).
And bear in mind, he did all of this after participating in energetic fight. Throughout his tour of obligation in Korean, Williams flew 39 missions and was hit thrice in fight. In truth, he needed to make a crash touchdown after his aircraft took harm on his first mission.
Future astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn was in the identical squadron as Williams.
“He didn’t shirk his obligation in any respect,” Glenn mentioned of Williams. “He obtained in there and dug ‘em out like everyone else. “He by no means talked about baseball until another person introduced it up. He was there to do a job. All of us have been. He was simply one of many guys.”
In 1953, Williams was hospitalized with pneumonia and identified with an inside ear an infection that disqualified him from obligation as a pilot. He acquired his discharge from the Marines on July 28, 1953, and was again with the Pink Sox lower than two weeks later.
Given his efficiency upon coming back from every of his excursions of obligation, it’s not far fetched to venture that Williams additionally would have been nice within the years he missed. Whereas it’s inconceivable to know precisely how he would have carried out, we will get a way of the manufacturing he misplaced primarily based on what he truly did earlier than and after his navy service.
Listed here are Williams’ common numbers within the 4 full seasons earlier than (1939-42) and after (1946-49) his World Battle II service, and the 4 full seasons earlier than (1948-51) and after (1954-57) his Korean Battle service.
Williams’ common season, 1939-42 and 1946-49:
148 G, 186 H, 33 HR, 130 RBIs, 138 BB, 9.0 bWAR
Williams’ common season, 1948-51 and 1954-57:
127 G, 151 H, 31 HR, 106 RBIs, 120 BB, 7.3 bWAR
Extrapolating these numbers, we will venture the stats Williams may need put up within the almost 5 full years he missed.
1943-45 (hypothetical):
444 G, 558 H, 99 HR, 390 RBIs, 414 BB, 27.0 bWAR
1952-53 (hypothetical):
254 G, 302 H, 62 HR, 212 RBIs, 240 BB, 14.6 bWAR
Complete (hypothetical):
698 G, 860 H, 161 HR, 602 RBIs, 654 BB, 41.6 bWAR
If we merge these hypothetical numbers with Williams’ precise numbers (subtracting his precise efficiency over 44 video games in 1952-53 to keep away from double counting these years), it’s clear that Williams very seemingly would have reached some extremely uncommon statistical figures had he not been referred to as to navy service.
We’re speaking greater than 3,400 hits, 660 homers, 2,400 RBIs, 2,600 walks, 6,000 instances on base and 160 bWAR.
Here is what number of gamers have reached these marks.
In actuality, Williams fell greater than 300 hits in need of 3,000, and he did not be a part of the five hundred residence run membership till his final season in 1960. Teddy Ballgame remained a hitting pressure till the very finish, ending the yr with a 1.096 OPS and homering in his remaining at-bat.