The Kid: The Immortal Life of Ted Williams

by Ben Bradlee Jr.

  Ted’s former Red Sox teammates Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky, Williams’s closest friends on the team, provided especially useful stories and details. Elden Auker, Milt Bolling, Don Buddin, Billy Consolo, Walt Dropo, Dave “Boo” Ferriss, Don Gile, Pumpsie Green, Billy Hitchcock, Billy Klaus, Ted Lepcio, Tony Lupien, Frank Malzone, Sam Mele, Bill Monbouquette, Mel Parnell, Eddie Pellagrini, Jimmy Piersall, Dave Sisler, Gene Stephens, Mickey Vernon, and Charlie Wagner were also helpful.

  Dick Bresciani, team historian of the Red Sox, generously allowed me access to the club’s collection of Ted Williams photos and helped put me in touch with a host of former players. Thanks also to others in the Red Sox organization, notably Pam Ganley, Meg Vaillancourt, Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy, John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Dr. Charles Steinberg for their help and courtesies along the way. In addition, George Mitrovich, chairman of the Great Fenway Park Writers Series—a novel and engaging forum where writers of all types can come and discuss their new books, a program unique in professional sports—was a welcome source of encouragement during this project. George’s four chief Writers Series wingmen, Dick Flavin, Donna Cohen, Diane Tiernan, and Janet Wood, were always interested and helpful supporters.

  Nine former sportswriters who covered Ted Williams—Bob Ajemian, David Burgin, Bud Collins, Tim Horgan, Will McDonough, Bob and Leo Monahan, Dave O’Hara, and George Sullivan—told me about their experiences for a chapter I devoted to the Williams-press dynamic, a subject I found rich and important in understanding the Kid. Thanks to Maria Badaracco, who told me about her friendship with the late Dave Egan, the Record columnist and Williams nemesis, and to Dave Egan Jr., the Colonel’s son, who spoke candidly about his father and loaned me an enormous scrapbook containing hundreds of his old columns. Four of my former colleagues at the Boston Globe—Tom Mulvoy, Marty Nolan, Jack Thomas, and Peter Mancusi—kindly read my first draft of the writers chapter and offered thoughtful critiques.

  Nancy Carmichael, a physician’s assistant at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, took care of Williams when he was at the hospital and provided me with important information on her dealings with John-Henry after Ted died. Debbie Erb, a nurse at Shands, was also helpful, as was Becky Vaughn, a nurse who took care of Ted at home toward the end of his life. Vaughn told me about a key discussion she had with John-Henry about cryonics, in Ted’s presence.

  Former Washington Senators who served under Ted when he managed the team from 1969 to 1972—including players Bernie Allen, Casey Cox, Tim Cullen, and Tom Grieve, coaches Joe Camacho and Wayne Terwilliger, and trainer Bill Zeigler—contributed keen observations. And team broadcaster Shelby Whitfield was especially helpful.

  I am also grateful to the following childhood friends of Ted: Bob Breitbard, Les Cassie Jr., Frank Cushing, Roy Engle, Swede Jensen, Ben Press, Bill Skelley, and Joe Villarino. My gratitude extends to these longtime friends as well: Joe Davis, Buzz Hamon, Brian Interland, Gene Moore, Billy Reedy, and Lewis Watkins.

  Many thanks to Ted’s fishing pals: Stu Apte, Hank Brown, Gary Ellis, Jack Fenety, George Hommell, Joe Johansen, Sammy Lee, Jerry McKinnis, Rick Ruoff, and Millard Wells. Edna Curtis, the cook and housekeeper at Ted’s cabin on the Miramichi River in Canada, was very helpful, as were her two sons, Clarence and George Curtis. Thanks also to my friend Steve Woodsum, an expert angler himself, for reading my fishing chapter and making sure I had my terminology straight.

  I appreciate the assistance provided by Ted’s friends from World War II and Korea: Edro Buchser, Bill Churchman, Dick Francisco, John Glenn, Larry Hawkins, Marvin Hollenbeck, Samuel Hynes, Bob Kennedy, Frank Maznicki, Ken Poth, Tom Ross, Raymond Sisk, Karl Smith, and Woody Woodbury.

  The people who took care of Ted at the end of his life, some working twenty-four hours a day for a week at a time, came to know Williams well and gave me a valuable perspective on the family dynamic. The lead caretakers, Frank Brothers and George Carter, provided important information and insights. Also helpful were Geedee Bond, Marion and Jim Corbin, Jack Gard, Virginia Hiley-Self, Robert Hogerheide, Kay and Bill Munday, Kathleen Rolfingsmeier, John Sullivan, and Donna Van Tassel.

  The following doctors who took care of Williams toward the end of his life shared their experiences: Jeffrey Borer, Anne Curtis, Arthur Day, Ed Dodge, Joseph Dorn, Allan Goodman, Richard Kerensky, Joseph Layon, William Stalcup, and Robert Watson.

  The late David Halberstam was a great source of encouragement for me on this project and gave me access to his papers at Boston University, which included his interview with Williams for Summer of ’49. He also sent me copies of key interviews he conducted for his marvelous small book The Teammates. David was always generous with other writers, and he is missed.

  Former Boston Globe editor Marty Baron gave me a leave of absence to start the book before I resigned; I am grateful to him as well as to his successor, old friend Brian McGrory, and the terrific Lisa Tuite, head of the Globe library.

  Thanks also to the one and only Bill Brett, who helped me gather some wondrous photographs for the book.

  My friend Mitch Zuckoff, a former Globe colleague and now a Boston University journalism professor and bestselling author, offered me important early advice on organizing the book, and was a ready consultant throughout.

  Thanks too to another former Globie, Carol Beggy, who has a comprehensive understanding of the book business, and shared valuable marketing ideas.

  I am grateful to Henry Scannell, curator of microtext and newspapers at the Boston Public Library, for his help in assembling all the reels of microfilm containing the old Boston papers. Thanks also to the BPL’s Aaron Schmidt, Jane Winton, and former president Bernard Margolis.

  I’d like to thank the following people for providing significant interviews or otherwise helping me during the course of the book: Janet Amphlett, Mike Andrews, Roger Angell, Bob Aquilina, Ken Auletta, Brad Bailey, Doug Bailey, Teresa Barker, Eddie Barry, Jack Bean, Jenna Bernreuter, Yogi Berra, Daisy Bisz, Jerry Brenner, Bobby Brown, Don Brown, Tom Brown, Ken Burns, former president George H. W. Bush, John Butcher, Phil Castinetti, Josh Cook, Peter Corbett, Jack Corrigan, Bob Costas, Bob Cousy, Barry Craig, Kit Crissey, Maureen Cronin, David D’Alessandro, Beth Daley, Arthur D’Angelo, George Daniels, Eleanor Diamond, George Digby, Danny Dillman, Emily DiMaggio, Mary Dluhy, Jerry Doak, Edward Donovan, Marguerite Donovan, Nelson Doubleday Jr., John Dowd, Ted Doyle, Patrick Drane, Earl Duffy, Kevin Paul Dupont, Dan Duquette, Nan Ellis, Ferd Ensinger, Rich Eschen, Robert Ettinger, Bill Faloon, Cindy Felix, Tommie Ferguson, Mark Ferrell, Pat Ferris, Steve Ferroli, Jack Fisher, Donna Fleischmann, Dr. Michael Foley, Ralph Ford Jr., Al Forester, Lane Forman, Janet Franzoni, Jonathan Gallen, Peter Gammons, Joe Garagiola, Nomar Garciaparra, Marea Gardner, Andy Giacobbe, Bob Gillespie, Eric Goodman, Hill Goodspeed, Herbert Gordon, Lou Gorman, Curt Gowdy, William Gutfarb, the Reverend Tony Hammon, John Harrington, Sid Hartman, Ernie Harwell, Bill Haworth, David Hayes, Clifton and Robert Helman, Jack Hillerich, Jon Hoffman, Dwight Hooper, Sid Hudson, Charles and Ruby Hughes, David Hunt, Cornelius Hurley Jr., Mike Ilitch, Eli Jacobs, Bill James, Larry Johnson, Michael Johnson, Richard Johnson, Ted Johnston, Tanya Jones, Frank Jordan, Jim Kallas, Eddie Kasko, Kasey Kaufman, George Kell, Tom Kennedy, Steve Kurkjian, Sheldon Kurtz, Tom Lasorda, Wallace Lawrimore, Chick Leahey, Jane Leavy, Bill Lee, Sammy Lee, Bill “Lefty” LeFebvre, Sandy Levinson, Dorothy Lindia, Hildy Linn, Marty and Sam Linsky, Bob Lobel, Bob Long, Barry Lorge, Anita Lovely, Fred Lynn, Michelle Orlando MacIntyre, Bud Maloney, Don Marinari, Lisa Martin, Willie Mays, Dave McCarthy, Robert McWalter, David Mercer, Tricia and Vicki Miranti, Leigh Montville, Joe Mooney, Joe and Dot Morgan, John and Tom Murphy, Sean Murphy, Jerry Nash, Alan Nathan, Don Newbery, Don Nicoll, Bill Nowlin, Tony Nunziante, Brian O’Connor, Dan Okrent, Buck O’Neil, Thomas P. O’Neill III, Marc Onigman, Jim Pagliaroni, Al Palmieri, Sam Perkins, Charles Pierce, Charles Platt, Gloria Poston Player, Johnny Podres, Bruce Porter, Frank Porter, Dr. Rock Positano, Bob Posner, Leo Pratt, Dr. David Pressman, Jord
an Ramin, Jack Reardon, Jerry Remy, Gerry Rittenberg, Bettye Roberts, Ted Rogowski, Roselle Romano, Jerry Romolt, Charlie Rose, Mary Jane Ryan, Morley Safer, Alex and Zoe Sanders, Ed and Judy Schoenthaler, Beverly Schultz, George Scott, Dan Shaughnessy, Phil Shimkin, David Shribman, Candace Orlando Siegel, Don Skwar, Daria Stehle, Glenn Stout, Joe Sullivan, John Sununu, Bill Swank, Betty Tamposi, Steve Tamposi, Larry Taylor, Dick Thicket, Stew Thornley, Paula Tognarelli, Stephen Tomasco, Della Truax, Chip Tuttle, Jack Twyman, John Underwood, Vanessa Vadim, Bob Veazey, George Vecsey, Jim Vinick, Cheryl Walsh, Eddie Walsh, Phil Wilkinson, John Winkin, Saul Wisnia, Charles Zarrell, Rachel Zarrell, and Don Zimmer.

  Thank you to my agent, the formidable Bob Barnett.

  Geoff Shandler of Little, Brown is a brilliant editor. I want to thank him for acquiring the book; for being patient and supportive with me, as the research and writing took me far longer than I had originally thought; and for using his red pencil so effectively. I must admit it was daunting to see so many red marks in the returned first draft. But he cut out the fat, improved the organization, and sharpened the prose. If Geoff thought even a single sentence in the back of the book worked better toward the front, he didn’t hesitate to recommend the change, and he made sure that the transitions worked as a result. But it was never his way or nothing. He was always willing to work with me if he knew I felt a certain passage was important. Thanks also to Geoff’s able assistants, Brandon Coward and Allie Sommer; crack Little, Brown publicist Michelle Aielli; and Hachette Book Group CEO Michael Pietsch, a skilled editor in his own right. Senior production editor Karen Landry, eagle-eyed copyeditor Barbara Clark, and fact-checker Jeffrey Gantz were all fantastic. The Boston-based Little, Brown copyediting operation is second to none.

  Finally, I’d like to thank my wife, Jan, for maintaining her support and enthusiasm for this project throughout the decade that it took me. She read portions of the manuscript and, as a public relations pro, helped me think about marketing the book when I finished it. Thanks also to my three terrific children—Greta, Joe, and Anna—who often asked how the book was progressing, even though I rarely had a satisfactory answer. It was coming along was about all I could ever say!

  My apologies to anyone I’ve inadvertently forgotten.

  May Williams, young Salvationist. (May Williams Collection)

  Young Ted. (May Williams Collection)

  Young Sam Williams. (May Williams Collection)

  Ted’s childhood home at 4121 Utah Street. (San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum)

  May with her two boys, Ted (left) and Danny (right). (May Williams Collection)

  May, second guitarist from right (with glasses), and the Salvation Army band. (May Williams Collection)

  Ted’s uncles, from left to right: Pete, Saul, and Paul Venzor, with their mother, Natalia, in Santa Barbara, circa 1954. (Courtesy of Rosalie Larson)

  With his prom date, Alberta Camus, January 1937. (May Williams Collection)

  At age seventeen. (May Williams Collection)

  Pitching for Herbert Hoover High School, circa 1935. (May Williams Collection)

  With Red Sox general manager Eddie Collins and San Diego Padres owner Bill Lane after signing his contract with the Padres on June 25, 1936. (San Diego History Center)

  With the Padres, 1937. (San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum)

  Enjoying the fruits of duck hunting with then girlfriend Doris Soule in Minnesota, 1940. (Ted Williams Family Enterprises)

  Hauling in his kill in Minnesota, late 1939. (Ted Williams Family Enterprises)

  With his three aunts, the half sisters of Sam Williams, in San Diego, circa 1939. (May Williams Collection)

  Ted, 1941. (May Williams Collection)

  Danny Williams, Ted’s brother, at work on his car. (May Williams Collection)

  With the Minneapolis Millers, 1938. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

  At Boston’s Back Bay station, April 1939, arriving in the city for the first time. (Boston Globe photograph)

  Swinging in 1939, his rookie year with the Red Sox. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

  Happily crossing home plate at Fenway, 1939. (Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library / Leslie Jones Collection)

  Flashing some leather in a posed shot during his rookie season. (Courtesy of the Griffin Museum of Photography)

  At the Boston baseball writers’ dinner, 1939. (Leslie Jones photograph)

  In Chicago, 1939, checking out the other side of the camera. (Rogers Photo Archive)

  Hamming it up with Jimmie Foxx, 1939. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

  Helping with the construction of “Williamsburg” in early 1940, after Tom Yawkey ordered that the right-field fence at Fenway Park be moved in to accommodate Ted. (Brearley Collection)

  Limbering up, circa 1941. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

  With Joe DiMaggio at Yankee Stadium on July 2, 1941. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

  Getting mobbed by fans, circa 1941. (Ted Williams Family Enterprises)

  Inspecting the lumber at Louisville Slugger’s bat factory, circa 1942. (San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum)

  Working on his form in the Fenway clubhouse, circa 1942. (Brearley Collection)

  With Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky, 1942. (Red Sox photograph)

  Visiting sick kids in Boston, 1942. (Boston Globe photograph)

  Getting sworn in to the Navy on May 22, 1942. (Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library / Leslie Jones Collection)

  With Daily Record columnist Dave Egan after enlisting in the Navy, May 1942. (Rogers Photo Archive)

  In World War II. (May Williams Collection)

  Boxing with his instructor at the Navy Pre-Flight School, summer 1943, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. (North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wilson Library)

  Tossing a football at the Navy Pre-Flight School, summer 1943. (North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wilson Library)

  With the Babe at Fenway Park before a wartime exhibition game, July 1943. (Rogers Photo Archive)

  On the flight line at Pensacola with another pilot, July 3, 1944. (Defense Department photograph)

  With Eddie Pellagrini, Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers, and John F. Kennedy at Fenway Park as Kennedy was running for Congress in 1946. (Boston Globe photograph)

  Tackling one of his columns for the Boston Globe in 1940. (Boston Globe photograph)

  The center of attention during the 1946 World Series. (Brearley Collection)

  At the throttle of the Merchants Limited, leaving Boston for New York, September 1949. (Leslie Jones photograph)

  Williams always regretted doing this cigarette ad since he didn’t smoke and knew it set a bad example. (Ted Williams Family Enterprises)

  Holding court with the writers, 1950. (Courtesy of the Trustees of the Boston Public Library / Leslie Jones Collection)

  Addressing the Fenway Park crowd before leaving for Korea, 1952. (Red Sox photograph)

  In Korea, preparing to deliver a message. (May Williams Collection)

  With Larry Hawkins, the Marine pilot who guided the disoriented Williams in for a crash landing when his plane was shot down on a mission in Korea. (Ted Williams Family Enterprises)

  Entering the cockpit in Korea, 1953. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

  Meeting a Korean papa-san while touring the countryside. (Defense Department photograph)

  Ted and Bobby-Jo, circa 1953. (Ted Williams Family Enterprises)

  With Howard Cosell at spring training in Sarasota, mid-1950s. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)