Posted: December-20-2009 at 4:39pm | IP Logged	Tweet

A true American Hero / Icon our kids/adults of today could learn a few things from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjN6OIwQL7c&feature=related

Posted: December-20-2009 at 5:00pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Here is another Great One to "Hear"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx8TkCUdh58&feature=related

Posted: December-20-2009 at 6:23pm | IP Logged	Tweet

   A hero ??? He was a actor, who played heros.

   Clark Gable, and Jimmy Steward, and dozens of other less well know actors joined the service and fought in WW 2, John Wayne stayed in Hollywood and made a fortune in the movies.

  There were plenty of men in Hollywood who decided to put their career on hold and risk their life in service of their country, John Wayne wasn't one of them. I don't much of an positive example in his conduct.

   I like his movies too, I just don't confuse them with a real person.

Posted: December-20-2009 at 8:55pm | IP Logged	Tweet

I'm certainly not arguing a case... I just quoted from his biography, which I found to be a great read. And, it did say, as I quoted, that he always regretted the fact that he did not serve on active duty during the war. The biography also tells how the studio to which he was under contract demanded that he honor his contract with them and think about enlisting "later".  Doesn't make him a saint, and doesn't make him a bad guy either.

The age range for the draft was 17-34. He didn't get drafted because of his age. He didn't enlist, which he could have done, and he said throughout the remainder of his life that he regretted that he did not.

Posted: December-21-2009 at 7:24pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Van_84 wrote: Ted Williams...

And Ted's kids even have his body frozen, maybe he will be brought back to life one of these days. HA HA HA

I was reading about Ted the other day, regarding the deal with his kids. I had forgotten all about that, how they hadn't buried his body. I forget all the details now, but I believe from what I read last week, they have his head frozen. I don't know about the rest of the body, whether it was buried or cremated.

Posted: December-21-2009 at 8:34pm | IP Logged	Tweet

A Ted Williams quote which is a favorite of mine.....

"By the time you know what to do, you're too old to do it."

...and, another favorite:

"If I was being paid thirty-thousand dollars a year, the very least I could do was hit .400."

Posted: December-22-2009 at 8:26pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Yes... And Ted Williams accomplished greatness in professional baseball despite the fact that he missed some of his prime years while serving twice in the military. He enlisted in the NAVY in 1944, completed filght school, became a Marine fighter pilot, and just as he was getting ready to go to war, the war ended. Then, he was called to return to duty as a fighter pilot in the Korean War where he served with distinction. According to his biography, he did have some resentment that being called back to serve in the Korean War cost him what could have been some of his best years as a player.... but Williams said that what he was called to do "needed to be done".

Williams received an Air Medal for his actions in one particular raid. During the last half of his Korean tour of duty he was also Col. John Glenn's wingman.

Posted: December-22-2009 at 9:36pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Hey guys, we've all seen some hitters over the years flirt with the .400 mark. Do y'all ever believe today's players will hit .400? Personally, I don't believe no one will. The reason I say that is because I believe baseball players (really professional athletes period) are moreso playing the game(s) for money, not necessarily the love of the sport.

"SpeedRacer," I saw an interview with Ted Williams in his later years ... with Ted sitting in a director's-style chair in the outfield at Fenway Park as, I'm thinking now it was Bob Costas interview him. I remember Ted was asked what he thought about salaries today's players were making, and he said "Ain't nobody worth the millions of dollars they're paid today." Well said, Mr. Williams.