"People always told me that my natural ability and good eyesight were the reasons for my success as a hitter. They never talk about the practice, practice, practice," said the incredible Ted Williams, baseball's last .400 hitter and a man who believed that no person ever swung a bat more than he did. Presented is a collection of eight (8) Ted Williams single-signed baseballs. 

As a young schoolboy in the 1920s in San Diego, California, Williams was already obsessed with hitting. In addition to hitting baseballs at every chance he had, Williams used to walk to school carrying a broomstick, and as he passed trees along the way, he would swing his broomstick bat at berries on the trees, over-and-over. As Williams said, "The key to hitting is just plain working at it. Work, that's the real secret." Did all that hard work pay off for the "Splendid Splinter"? Indubitably. Williams finished his career with 521 home runs. He did this during his 19 season Major League career, all with the Boston Red Sox despite missing nearly the equivalent of FIVE SEASONS as a U.S. Marine who served as a pilot during both World War II and the Korean Conflict. Williams played no Major League games from 1943-45, and he played a total of only 43 games combined in 1952-53. Williams batted .344 lifetime, won six (6) AL batting crowns, and hit .406 during the 1941 season, going 6-for-8 in an end of season double-header (to bat .406) when, if he sat out the otherwise meaningless games, his .3995 average would have been rounded off to .400. Williams wanted none of an average "rounded off" to .400, officially. He risked not hitting .400 by playing. "If I'm going to be a .400 hitter, I want more than my toenails on the line," explained the always larger-than-life outfielder. 

The eight Williams signed balls come in a Rawlings light cardboard box (which shows some wear) measuring 9.25x11.75x3". Each of the offered baseballs is an Official American League Ball (Brown). Also, each of the baseballs is in a 3x3x3" individual Rawlings baseball box. Williams, using a fine tip blue marker, scripted a neat signature on the sweet spot of each baseball. The baseballs are in EXCELLENT condition, and the baseballs come with a PSA LOA for the signatures.