This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 7/8/2004.
No player before or since has studied the art of hitting to the degree that Ted Williams did, likewise, no other player can lay claim to being the very best hitter that ever lived. The numbers certainly support that claim with Teddy Ballgame sporting a .344 lifetime batting average and driving in an average of 130 runs per season, all the while hitting 521 homeruns. The two time Triple Crown winner made use of this hat during the 1957 season, which ranks as his best in the later years of his career. The hat shows picture perfect use as it is nicely worn but not to the point where the identifiers that are so often missing from a piece such as this have worn away. It is constructed of blue wool and has the Red Sox traditional "B" on the front in red on white embroidered stitch. On the inside leather sweatband, which remains fully intact, is the "Tim McAuliffe" tag. The manufacturer's "KM Pro Cap" logo has been stamped into the leather in traditional fashion as is the size "7 3/8." The player name "Williams" is written on the underside of the brim in fading black marker. A large blue sharpie "Ted Williams" autograph rating a near 10 appears below this. On the underside of the sweatband is written "Ted Williams" with the date "8-21-57." The cap originates from one of the premier hat collections in the hobby and is accompanied by documentation that traces the chain of ownership back to a Major League equipment manager during the 1950s-60s. The autograph comes with a letter from PSA/DNA.