re: Ted Williams was a freak of nature - .482 career On base percentage

quote:

---

Top 3 hitters of all time

Ted Williams
Barry Bonds
Babe Ruth

You can order them how you see fit, depending on what you value most...but that’s the top tier. Any other answer is incorrect imo

---

Hammerin' Hank.

If you take away all his home runs he still has 3000 hits.

There's some great interviews with Gwynn and Williams where they discuss hitting. I'm sure they're easy to find on YouTube.

Williams argued that Gwynn should have been trying to hit for more power. And I think Gwynn reluctantly began to see what everyone now is taking for granted.

The game has evolved into what Ted Williams knew all along, for better or worse.

Worth mention is the fact that Ted Williams never had a check swing. Think about how ridiculous that is to comprehend.

quote:

---

482 career On base percentage

---

frozen in time.

Barry Bonds had a .609 OBS in 2004

"All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street, folks will say, 'There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived.'" - Ted Williams


“I always say that Ted needed another planet. You look at what he has accomplished. Ted Williams was one of the best fishermen, so he kind of conquered the seas. He’s one of the best baseball players, so he kind of conquered the land. He was an ace pilot, so he kind of conquered the air. So he’s kind of a man who’s outgrown this planet. He’s the real John Wayne.”
— Maureen Cronin, daughter of Red Sox manager Joe Cronin

Of all the things Ted told me, he said, ‘I’ve gotten all kinds of accolades in the baseball department, but the thing I’m most proud of was I was a good marine fighter pilot.’ He was so darned proud of being a marine.”
— Long-time friend Frank Cushing

Gwynn had 45 career four-hit games. He only had 34 multi-strikeout games

And he only struck out 3 times in a game once in his career

Nobody he played with or against ever recall a check swing. He says he never did.

It was all part of his approach at the plate

quote:

---

Name his wingman

---

Sometimes Ted flew wing, sometimes John Glenn did. Glenn said Ted was a great natural pilot.

Gwynn faced Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz a combined 323 times. He struck out only three times (two to Glavine, one to Smoltz and NEVER against Maddux or Pedro)


Tony Gwynn career vs:

Greg Maddux*
107 PA, .415 BA, 0 K

Tom Glavine
105 PA, .303 BA, 2 K

John Smoltz
75 PA, .444 BA, 1 K

Curt Schilling
43 PA, .390 BA, 2 K

Pedro Martinez
36 PA, .314 BA, 0 K

Dennis Eckersley
19 PA, .474 BA, 1 K

*faced more than any other pitcher

quote:

---

Tony Gwynn career vs:

Greg Maddux*
107 PA, .415 BA, 0 K

Tom Glavine
105 PA, .303 BA, 2 K

John Smoltz
75 PA, .444 BA, 1 K

Curt Schilling
43 PA, .390 BA, 2 K

Pedro Martinez
36 PA, .314 BA, 0 K

Dennis Eckersley
19 PA, .474 BA, 1 K

*faced more than any other pitcher

---

Mother of god....