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Circa 1945 Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams Photograph
If you add a Hall of Fame right-fielder to this picture, someone like Hank Aaron or Roberto Clemente, and put each player in his prime, you might have the best outfield of all time. In this relaxed, vintage photo, left fielder Ted Williams, who could be testy to photographers on occasion, and center fielder Joe DiMaggio, who was usually good with photographers unless it involved matters that he considered private, are seemingly sharing some light banter with each other and show none of the tension that they would sometimes exhibit. If this is in 1945 or 1946, both these stars should be relaxed. Neither is in the military during World War II anymore, and each can concentrate on baseball. These players were also rivals. Williams always wanted to be, "the greatest hitter who ever played the game," and some say he was, or at least came close. Williams hit .344 lifetime, and he was the last man to hit over .400, when he hit .406 in 1941. DiMaggio wanted to be an all around player, and if Williams is considered the better hitter of the two, DiMaggio had the edge in fielding, as he is considered one of the best defensive center fielders of all time, and he was also a fine base runner. And he had that record 56-game hitting streak in 1941, and was a part of nine World Series wins with the Yankees. There is a story that Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey and a Yankee owner, either Larry MacPhail or Dan Topping, met for drinks and decided to trade Williams for DiMaggio, reasoning that the right-hand hitting DiMaggiowould be better in Fenway Park with its Green Monster, and the lefty swinging Williams could feast on Yankee Stadium's short porch in right field. The story states that when Tom Yawkey sobered up the next morning, he backed out of the deal. In any rate, the photo depicts both stars in a firendly, relaxed mood, enjoying each other's company. It's a unique glimpse of these legands.
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