Williams memorabilia to be auctioned

BOSTON (AP) — He was a skilled fisherman, a veteran of two wars and an accomplished hunter. Oh, and Ted Williams also played baseball.

Fans seeking to buy items once owned by the legendary Red Sox slugger traveled to Boston’s Fenway Park on Wednesday for a preview of the first major auction of sports, military and personal memorabilia documenting Williams’ life.

The preview runs through Friday at the world’s oldest baseball park and home field of the only team that Williams played for during his 1939-1960 major league career. The auction will be Saturday and some of the proceeds will benefit The Jimmy Fund, a charity affiliated with Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for which the slugger helped raise money during his lifetime.

Williams, the last major league hitter to bat .400 — posting a .406 average in 1941 — enjoyed a diverse life, including as a U.S. Marine in World War II and the Korean War, a member of the fishing hall of fame and a skilled hunter. He flew 39 combat missions in Korea and took enemy fire three times, including during an encounter that forced him to land his stricken jet on its belly.

Among the nearly 800 items up for auction is a baseball in pristine condition that Babe Ruth autographed for Williams with the inscription “To my pal Ted Williams, From Babe Ruth.” That unique ball is expected to go for between $100,000 and $200,000.

Tags: sports, mlb, baseball