| Rocky Marciano (born Rocco Francis Marchegiano; September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969) was an American professional boxer and the World Heavyweight Champion from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956. Marciano is the only person to hold the heavyweight title and go untied and undefeated throughout his career. Marciano defended his title six times, against Jersey Joe Walcott, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell, and Archie Moore. Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player, and manager. Williams played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox (1939–1942 and 1946–1960). 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 hitters in baseball history. He was a two-time American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP), six-time batting champion, 17-time All-Star, and a two-time Triple Crown winner. He finished his career with a .344 batting average, 521 home runs, and a .482 on-base percentage, the highest of all time. His batting average is the highest of any MLB player with 500 or more home runs. Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966 in his first year of eligiblity.
Born and raised in San Diego, Williams played baseball throughout his youth. Joining the Red Sox in 1939, Williams immediately emerged as one of the sport's best hitters. In 1941, just his third season, he posted a .406 batting average, making him the last MLB player to bat over .400 in a season. Williams interrupted his baseball career in 1943 to serve three years in the US Navy and Marine Corps for World War II. Upon returning to MLB in 1946, Williams won his first AL MVP Award and played in his only World Series. The following season, he won his second Triple Crown. Williams returned to active military duty for portions of the 1952 and 1953 seasons in the Korean War, in which he served as a Marine aviator. In 1957 and 1958, at the ages of 39 and 40 respectively, he was the AL batting champion for the fifth and sixth times.
Following his retirement from playing in 1960, Williams managed the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers franchise from 1969 to 1972. An avid sport fisherman, he hosted a television program about fishing, and he was inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame. Williams' involvement in the Jimmy Fund helped raise millions in dollars in proceeds for cancer care and research. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush presented Williams with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award that can be bestowed by the United States government. He was selected for the Major League Baseball All-Time Team in 1997 and Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. |
