Hitter: The Life and Turmoils of Ted Williams

Veteran baseball writer Linn ( Veeck--As in Wreck ) here looks at the life of ``Splendid Splinter'' Ted Williams, perhaps the greatest natural batter of the modern era. Son of a fanatically religious mother and an alcoholic father, the often neglected young Williams, who was born in 1918 and raised in San Diego, Calif., spent countless hours by himself compulsively learning the intricacies of hitting a baseball. Linn follows Williams from his start as a Boston Red Sox rookie in 1939; the .406 batting average of 1941; the 1946 championship team; his 39 combat flights during the Korean War; and the dramatic home run in his final at-bat in 1960. Much of the book deals with Williams's love-hate relationship with the Boston press and fans--virulent, surly and sometimes downright obscene. But we are also shown Williams the champion of the underdog and strong supporter of the Jimmy Fund children's cancer charity. The book gives us an in-depth look at the rich and colorful personality of Williams; its only fault is that it leaves us looking for more. Photos. (Apr.)