The Remarkable, Heroic Life of Ted Williams

When you think of the Boston Red Sox, names such as David Ortíz, Pedro Martínez, and the late Tim Wakefield come to mind. However, the Red Sox player who is the focus of this story is none other than Ted Williams. Even if you're not a baseball fan, you've probably heard of his name at least once. Towards the end of this story, I'll share the one admirable thing Williams had done to get Major League Baseball's attention. But first, let's get to know the Hall of Famer's life and career.

Theodore Samuel Williams was born in San Diego, California on August 30, 1918. He was named after President Theodore Roosevelt. Williams made his Major League debut on April 20, 1939 with the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees, where he went 1-for-4. His career would be interrupted, due to him serving in World War II for three years until he was honorably discharged in 1946, before having to serve yet again, but this time, in the Korean War from 1952-1953. Seven years later, Williams retired from baseball after 19 seasons, all with Boston. He was recognized for his military service by being awarded several honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991. As for Williams' MLB statistics and honors, they include him hitting a .344 batting average, 521 home runs, 1,839 RBIs, becoming a 19-time All-Star, two-time AL MVP, and a two-time Triple Crown winner (1942 and 1947). Not only that, but his number 9 was retired by the Red Sox in May 1984. He may not have won a World Series title, but he's remembered today as one of the best hitters that has ever played the game. Sadly, on July 5, 2002, Ted Williams passed away at the age of 83.

Ted Williams: The Advocate

On July 25, 1966, Ted Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. During his speech, he urged Major League Baseball to include Negro League players such as Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He stated that African American players were overlooked and needed to be recognized for their contributions to the game. The Hall was hesitant at first to make such a bold move, but eventually, they relented. Paige was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 and Gibson the following year. Ted Williams is a hero, not only for his military service, but for speaking up for African American players who didn't have a voice. He advocated for a group of people that most individuals wouldn't do. I'm including Ted Williams alongside Jackie Robinson as one of my favorite baseball heroes. Unfortunately, his Hall of Fame speech would be considered as woke today. Being woke isn't tied to a specific political party. Neither is empathy or dignity for others. There's nothing wrong with advocating for groups of people who have dealt with being discriminated against, regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum. The people who cry woke because common sense offends them are just grasping at straws and it's nothing but fake outrage.

At the beginning of 2025, I wrote and published a story on here about the Department of Defense deleting an article mentioning Jackie Robinson's time in the Army from their website, but due to public outcry, it was quickly put back up. I've expressed my anger over the Department of Defense's move and believed it was racially motivated. There's no denying that Republicans, including President Trump, has always had a huge disdain for minorities. This includes erasing any mention of Black, LGBTQ+, Hispanic people and other historical figures who came before us. Not only that, they made a positive impact in this country. President Trump is the same person who has constantly disrespected the veterans that he claimed to love and respect, called Americans who fought in World War I "suckers" and "losers" during his first term in office. Finally, let's not forget that he disparaged the late Senator John McCain, claiming that he wasn't a war hero. I may not have agreed with Senator McCain politics, but to me, he'll always be a war hero. Meanwhile, Trump is a multiple draft dodger, so he had no room to talk. He's the kind of person who doesn't like being told no or take any responsibility for his actions.

President Trump needs to take notes from Ted Williams, because this was a man who wasn't afraid to stand up for what he believed in, which was advocating for Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson to be inducted into Cooperstown. Empathy and compassion still exist and everyone deserves to be treated fairly. I've always spoke up for different causes and groups of people. If doing this makes me woke, then so be it. People showing dignity and respect towards others is not a personal attack on anyone. It's what were supposed to do. We were taught as children to be kind to one another. As Americans, we give a damn about those who are unable speak or stand up for themselves. We also give a damn about loving and accepting others for who they are. If this makes us woke, you should take a good look in the mirror and rethink your biases.