Ted Williams Smashes Some Grapefruits
Ted Williams – grapefruit pulverizer photo Acme: March 2, 1940
We know the Florida spring training circuit is known as the Grapefruit Leauge. But that doesn’t mean that grapefruits are a good substitute for rawhide. So, to explain this photo – were they low on baseballs? Or is this just a silly publicity picture dreamed up by a reporter? I can’t imagine Red Sox slugger Ted Williams accommodating a press photographer with a request.
“Hey Ted will you please hit some grapefruits? It would make a great picture.”
Ummm, no.
Whatever the reason Ted Williams was bashing grapefruits during spring training in 1940.
And to prove it wasn’t just a one grapefruit and that’s it performance – we found this photograph. Boston player-manager Joe Cronin is the citrus supplier.
Wild! I’ve never seen those before. If I were a grapefruit, I would not want to be anywhere near the young Ted Williams, especially if he was carrying a bat.
No “B” on their caps–never seen that before, either. Wonder if those were non-game-standard caps and uniforms, worn only in spring training?
If this is Spring Training 1940 it is ‘The Kid’s” sophomore year. I think it may predate the eruption of his feud with the ‘Knights of the Keyboard’.