Ted Williams Boston Red Sox

Black and white photograph of a man holding a baseball bat with a white banner above and below with black text

Ted Williams was a Major League Baseball player from 1939-1960. Williams spent his entire professional career with the Boston Red Sox, where he played left field. He did not play during the 1943-1945 seasons, however, due to his World War II service as a Marine combat pilot. Williams was again called into active duty during the Korean War, limiting his playing time during the 1952 and 1953 seasons.

Known as "Teddy Ballgame" and the "Splendid Splinter," Williams finished the 1941 season with a .406 batting average, making him the last player to end a season batting over .400. Such feats led to Williams' induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966, officially recognizing him as one of the greatest baseball players of all time. 

Williams died on July 5, 2002 at the age of 83. According to a handwritten note and the word of two of his three children, after he died, Williams wanted his body to be cryogenically preserved. As per this request, Williams' body and head are currently being stored at a facility in Scottsdale, Arizona in steel cases filled with liquid nitrogen. The procedure took place despite protests from his eldest daughter who maintains that Williams wanted to be cremated.