Ted Williams, also known as “The Splendid Splinter,” is widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time. His impressive career as a hitter is well-documented, but one aspect of his baseball prowess that is often overlooked is his brief stint as a pitcher in the major leagues.
Williams, who spent his entire 19-year career with the Boston Red Sox, was primarily known for his incredible hitting abilities. He won six batting titles, two Triple Crowns, and two Most Valuable Player awards, and he famously became the last player to hit over .400 in a single season. However, in addition to his success at the plate, Williams also possessed a strong arm and an accurate fastball that caught the attention of his team’s management.
On August 24, 1940, in a game against the Detroit Tigers, Williams made his pitching debut. The Red Sox were trailing by a significant margin, and manager Joe Cronin decided to give his star hitter a chance to take the mound. Williams pitched two scoreless innings, striking out one batter and allowing only one hit. While he certainly wasn’t a dominant pitcher, Williams showed that he had the skills to compete on the mound at the major league level.
Williams would go on to pitch three more times in his career, but his primary focus remained on hitting. His time on the mound was more of a novelty than anything else, but it demonstrated his versatility and willingness to do whatever was necessary to help his team win. In total, Williams pitched 6.1 innings in the majors, allowing just three earned runs and striking out one batter.
While Williams’ pitching career was short-lived, it was just one example of his incredible talent and versatility as a baseball player. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest hitters in the history of the game, but it’s also worth noting that he was more than capable of holding his own on the mound. Ted Williams was a true baseball legend, and his brief foray into pitching only adds to his incredible legacy.