'American Masters: Ted Williams'
(Bob Costas, Wade Boggs, Roger Angell and Joey Votto / DVD / G / 2018 / PBS)
Overview: 'American Masters: Ted Williams' is a complex and entertaining portrait of Ted Williams, who was as obsessive as he was talented.
DVD Verdict: This wondrous documentary reveals Williams' complicated relationships with family and friends and explores the impact he has had on the current generation of MLB stars.
For those not in the sports know, Ted Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career as a left fielder for the Boston Red Sox from 1939 to 1960, only interrupted by service time during World War II and the Korean War.
Nicknamed "The Kid", "The Splendid Splinter", "Teddy Ballgame", "The Thumper", and "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived", Williams is regarded as one of the greatest players in baseball history, despite being a below average defensive left fielder.
Williams was a nineteen-time All-Star, a two-time recipient of the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award, a six-time AL batting champion, and a two-time Triple Crown winner.
He finished his playing career with a .344 batting average, 521 home runs, and a .482 on-base percentage, the highest of all time. His career batting average is the highest of any MLB player whose career was played primarily in the live-ball era, and ranks tied for 7th all-time (with Billy Hamilton).
Featuring Bob Costas, Wade Boggs, Roger Angell and Joey Votto and narrated by Jon Hamm, 'American Masters: Ted Williams' is a simply fascinating look into the life of a sports legend; that, perhaps, not all of us knew was there, always bubbling under his surface.
Running at 55 minutes, the documentary is eye-opening, and even discusses the fact that when Williams retired from playing in 1960, he was then inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966; in his first year of eligibility. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
A Tale of Two Brothers
A Hub Fan Bids Kid Adieu
Ted Teaches a Rookie
Claudia Learns the Truth
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