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CNN Live Saturday

Boston Remembers Ted Williams

Aired July 06, 2002 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier, President Bush talked about the passing of Hall of Fame hitter Ted Williams, saying, quote, "America has lost a baseball legend." At Boston's Fenway Park, where Williams spent his entire playing career, the fans and the players paused to remember. CNN's Bill Delaney was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Programs here! Special Ted Williams card today.

BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As fans on a summer night flocked to Boston's Fenway Park Friday night, as they've come since 1918, Ted Williams, born the same year, number nine, was gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the loss of a legend. It's no so much a tragedy. I think it's more or less celebration of life.

DELANEY: In 1939, a wild, untutored 19-year-old from California with a genius for putting wood on baseballs first arrived at a place he'd play in until 1960, Boston. Brilliant, sometimes temperamental in a hardcore sports town.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he played in Boston, he wasn't always treated well, and he didn't treat the fans well, either. It was kind of a two-way street, but, by gosh, he became a god here. There's no question about that.

DELANEY: The greatest hitter of all time? No doubt about it in Boston, and in time he came to be known as one of the greatest guys, too.

DELANEY (on camera): Talking to fans here at Fenway Park at a time of resurgent patriotism in the United States, it's interesting how many bring up Ted Williams' own patriotism, serving twice in the U.S. military right in the middle of his career, in World War II and then 39 combat missions in Korea, including one crash landing that nearly killed him.

DELANEY (voice-over): He survived, in fact returning to hit .400 plus as soon as he was back with the Red Sox. Leigh Montville of "Sports Illustrated" is writing a book about Ted Williams. LEIGH MONTVILLE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: He was a hero when heroes were people you kind of heard about on the radio and read about. He was kind of like Sir Lancelot or something like that. I mean, I was of an age, we didn't have a television when I was kid, you know, and I was like 10 years old, and it was mythical.

DELANEY: And still a presence as the Red Sox warmed up for the Detroit Tigers, way up in the right field stands, the red seats where Ted Williams once hit Fenway's longest ever inside-the-park home run.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA, RED SOX SHORTSTOP: I've lost a friend. That's the way I've always looked at him. It's -- I never looked at him as, you know, like I said, the greatest hitter that ever lived and all his accomplishments. I think of him more as a friend, like I said.

DELANEY: A genius with a bat, immortal so long as baseball is played in Boston or anywhere else. Bill Delaney, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And I'll be back with another update at the bottom of the hour. MONEYLINE WEEKEND begins right now.

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