Ted Williams Huge, Fabulous Autograph on the March 15, 1969 “Sporting News” Cover.
Lot 69. Ted Williams Huge, Fabulous Autograph on the March 15, 1969 “Sporting News” Cover. Williams’ blue sharpie signature, covering 4.5”, is gem mint 10 on a light gray background. His portrait, as skipper of the Washington Senators, fills most of the 11.5” by almost 16” cover. The magazine is complete with two clipped corners, very light edge foxing and a light horizontal crease. In “TSN’s 1998 list of “Baseball’s 100 Greatest Players,” Williams ranked eighth. Only Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Hank Aaron, Lou Gehrig and Christy Mathewson were rated ahead of him. In 19 seasons, all with the Boston Red Sox, Williams was a 19-time All-Star, two-time AL MVP, six-time AL batting champion and four-time AL home run and RBI leader. Twice he achieved the Triple Crown. For his career, he batted .344 and collected 2,654 hits, 521 home runs and 1,839 RBI. His on-base percentage was .482. In 1941, he was the last MLB player to hit at least .400 (.406) in a season. He was selected for the MLB All-Century and All-Time Teams. His numbers would have been higher if he had not lost three seasons to military service in World War II and another to service in the Korean War. In 1966, the first year he was eligible, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. From 1969-71, he managed the Washington Senators, and in 1972, the Texas Rangers. He was the AL Manager of the Year in 1969. In 1991, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award bestowed by the United States government. He died in 2002. PSA/DNA Pre-Certified. Winning Bid $110.
