Ted Williams' Baseball Hall of Fame Induction speech, 1966 July 25

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Ted Williams' Baseball Hall of Fame Induction speech

Date1966 July 25

DescriptionA speech by Ted Williams delivered on his formal induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25, 1966 in Cooperstown, N.Y. Williams writes about Commissioner William Eckert, the great honor on being inducted, ball players who have helped him, and his hope that Negro players will soon be recognized in the Hall of Fame. The nine page speech is handwritten on The Town House Motor Inn letterhead and signed by Williams.

Object numberB-1968-0374

Artist, Creator, or Manufacturer Williams, Ted, 1918-2002

Subject Williams, Ted, 1918-2002

Subject Eckert, William D. (William Dole), 1909-1971

Attributes

speeches (documents)

Classificationsmanuscripts (documents)

Collection NumberBA MSS 044 Correspondence collection

Dimensions9 x 6 in.

Copyrighthttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

TrannscriptionMr Commissioner, Baseball dignataries [dignitaries], Fans. Im [I'm] happy & want to emphasize what a great honor it is to have the new commissioner of baseball here General Eckert. / The general & I have at least one thing in common, we each did some flying. He was in the Air Force & I was a Marine and I want you to know that no matter what you might of heard there were many times when the Air Force went out first and the Marines had to go out and hit the targets they missed. / I guess every player thinks about going into the Hall of Fame. Now that the moment has come for me I find it difficult to say what is really in my heart. But I know its the greatest thrill of my life. I received 280 odd vote from the writers. I know I didn't have 280 odd close friends among the writers. I know they voted for me because they felt in their minds & some in their hearts that I rated it and I want to say to them. Thank you, Thank you from the bottom of my heart. / I'm thinking of a lot of things. Today. I know I'm thinking of my playground director in San Diego Rodney Luscomb, my high school coach Wes Caldwell, my managers who had such patience with me & helped me so much. Fellows like Frank Shellenback, Donie Bush, Joe Cronin & Joe McCarthy. I'm thinking of Eddie Collins who had such faith in me and to be in the Hall of with him particularly as well as all / those other ball players is a great honor. I'm sorry Eddie isn't here today. / I'm thinking of Tom Yawkey. I have always said and I'd like to repeat it again today. Tom Yawkey is the greatest owner in B. B. I was lucky to have played on the club he owned & I'm greatful [grateful] for him being here today. / But I'd not be leveling if I left it at that because ballplayers are not born great they're not born hitters or pitchers or managers and luck isn't the key factor. No one has come up for a substitute for hard work. I've never met a great player who didn't have to work harder at learning to play ball then anything else he ever did. To me it was the greatest fun I ever had, which probably explains why today, I feel both humility and pride because God let me play the game and to learn / to be good at it. Proud because I've spent most of my life in the company of so many wonderful people. / The other day Willie Mays hit his 522 home run. He has gone past me, and he's pushing ahead & I say to him go get them Willie. / Inside this building are plaques dedicated to baseball men of all generations. I'm privileged to join them. / Baseball gives every American boy a chance to EXCEL, not just to be as good as someone else but to be better then someone else. This is the nature of man & the name of the game and I've been a very lucky guy to have worn a baseball uniform. To have struck out or hit a tape measure home run. And I hope that someday the names of Satchel Page & Josh Gibson in some way can be added as a symbol of the great negro players that are not here only because they were not given a chance / As time goes on. I'll be thinking baseball teaching baseball and arguing for baseball to keep it right on top of American sports. Just like it is in Japan, Mexico, Venezuela and other Latin and South American Countries. (Transcription created by virtual volunteers during the 2020 pandemic).

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