Facing Ted Williams: Players from the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1613213379 ISBN 13: 9781613213377

Publisher: Sports Publishing, 2013

Synopsis

"The Splendid Splinter," Teddy Ballgame," The Kid"—no matter the nickname, Ted Williams was one of the most accomplished hitters in baseball history. He was the last man to hit .400 in a single season, a 19-time All-Star, a two-time American League MVP, a two-time winner of the Triple Crown, and an inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 . . . all while serving his country in World War II and the Korean War.

Far from a conventional biography, Facing Ted Williams aims to offer a different perspective with testimonials from teammates and opponents alike, on how Williams was regarded among his peers. See Ted Williams through the eyes of pitchers struggling to put a fastball past his bat, the infielders and outfielders adjusting their positions in the hopes that they can fill the hole where a frozen rope might land, and the catchers strategizing a Williams at-bat, pitch-by-pitch. 

Facing Ted Williams provides riveting insights from many baseball legends, including Hall of Famer Bob Feller; 1956 World Series MVP Don Larsen; and 1952 American League MVP Bobby Shantz; as well as many others.
Whether you’re a Red Sox fanatic, a casual baseball fan, or perhaps just an admirer of the fabled war hero and slugger, this book is sure to be a fresh and compelling look at this classic baseball icon. Much like Williams himself, Facing Ted Williams is sure to be a home run for all walks of baseball fandom.

About this title

About the Author:

Dave Heller spent six years as a freelance writer in Cincinnati, while also appearing in several newspapers (The Washington Post) and magazines. He recently spent five years as the lead editor at CBS SportsLine.com, and is currently a sports web producer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and a contributor at Seamheads.com.

Wade Boggs is a former baseball player who spent 18 years in the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now known as the Rays). On August 7, 1999, he became just the 23rd player to record 3,000 hits for a career and the first to do so with a home run. He retired in 1999, finishing his career with 3,010 hits (currently 26th all-time) and a .328 batting average (currently 23rd all-time). In 2005, he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bob Wolff is the longest running broadcaster in television and radio history, now in his ninth decade behind the microphone. The only broadcaster in history to call the championships of all four major pro sports, his historic calls include Don Larsen’s legendary perfect game in the 1956 World Series and the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts (“The Greatest Game Ever Played”). Wolff was the television and/or radio play-by-play voice of The New York Knicks and New York Rangers for twenty-seven years. In addition to his enshrinement in both the baseball and basketball Halls of Fame, he has also been honored with induction into Madison Square Garden’s Walk of Fame and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. In 2009, the broadcast booth at Nationals Park in Washington was named in his honor. At the age of 92, Wolff is still sportscasting on television and radio.

Review:

“Now we have something new: A series of reminiscences from the players who battled the great No. 9. . . . In Facing Ted Williams, Dave Heller did yeoman’s work tracking down a range of players, from perennial all-stars to guys whose cup of coffee in the Show was more like a shot of Joe. . . . [A] worthy accessory to the Williams portion of the baseball shelf.” (Boston Globe)

“The value of [Facing Ted Williams] is in the unabashed discussion of Williams’ passion for the game....The result is a fast-paced yet not superficial discussion of the National Pastime’s best hitter. [Facing Ted Williams is] essential for baseball fanatics, [and] should also be perused by fans of all ages.” (Library Journal, Starred Review)

“There's a neat book out called 'Facing Ted Williams' that's worth checking out if you're a Red Sox fan, Williams fan or just a fan of players talking about baseball from the old days...a fun project by Heller, something different than the standard biography.” (David Schoenfield, ESPN.com)

“What was it like to pitch to the greatest hitter who ever lived? Now we know.” (Dan Shaughnessy)

“...the soul of Facing Ted Williams is the stories, and those, like the sweet swing of a Ted Williams’ home run, are delightfully satisfying.” (New York Journal of Books)

“A very enjoyable and revealing view—both literally and figuratively—of perhaps the greatest hitter of all time. Even ‘The Splended Splinter’ probably would have been impressed by Dave Heller’s prodigious amount of research.” (Jack Cavanaugh)

“In this ambitious and engaging project, Heller set out to get the truth straight from the players’ mouths. . . . What also emerges through Heller’s dogged efforts is a scrapbook-style look at the way the game was played in the 1940s and '50s...” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

“As the author of several books on Ted Williams, with a couple of more in the wings, Facing Ted Williams is an idea I wish I’d had.” (Bill Nowlin)

“A penetrating inside look at the 'Splendid Splinter' from those who played against him. Facing Ted Williams is a must-have for fans of baseball’s Golden Age.” (Glen Waggoner)

About this edition

• Publisher: Sports Publishing
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1613213379
• ISBN 13: 9781613213377
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320
• Editor: Heller Dave