Ted Williams History: July 5, 2002 - Ted Williams, athlete, last person to hit .400 for a season as a major leaguer, dies at 83 May 29, 1984 - Boston Red Sox retires #9 (Ted Williams) and #4 (Joe Cronin) October 4, 1972 - Ted Williams manages his final game as Rangers lose to Royals, 4-0 April 7, 1969 - Ted Williams begins managing Washington Senators, they lose to Yankees 8-4 February 21, 1969 - Ted Williams signs 5-year contract to manage Washington Senators September 28, 1961 - Ted Williams hits a home run on his last at bat September 28, 1960 - Ted Williams hits his final homer #521 September 26, 1960 - Ted Williams last at bat is his 521st home run off Jack Fisher June 17, 1960 - Ted Williams hit his 500th home runs July 24, 1958 - Ted Williams is fined $250 for spitting at Boston fans again April 30, 1958 - Ted Williams is 10th major league player to get 1,000 extra-base hits February 6, 1958 - Ted Williams signs with Red Sox for $135,000, making him highest paid June 13, 1957 - Ted Williams becomes 1st ALer to have 2, 3-home run games in a season August 7, 1956 - Boston Red Sox fine Ted Williams $5,000 for spitting at Boston fans May 16, 1954 - Ted Williams gets 8 hits in 1st game (DH) since breaking collarbone March 1, 1954 - Ted Williams fractures collarbone in 1st game of spring training after flying 39 combat missions without injury in Korean War August 6, 1953 - Ted Williams returns to Red Sox from the military February 19, 1953 - Ted Williams safely crash-lands his damaged Panther jet February 17, 1953 - Baseball star/pilot Ted Williams uninjured as plane shot down in Korea January 9, 1952 - Marines give notice that they will recall Ted Williams to active duty July 13, 1950 - Doctors remove 7 bone fragments from Ted Williams elbow July 11, 1950 - 17th All Star Baseball Game: NL wins 4-3 in 14 at Comiskey Park, Chicago Ted Williams breaks his elbow; 1st extra inning All Star Game November 25, 1949 - Ted Williams, wins AL MVP November 15, 1946 - Ted Williams is picked as AL MVP March 9, 1946 - Ted Williams is offered $500,000 to play in Mexican League, he refuses November 3, 1942 - Despite Ted Williams wins Triple Crown, Yankees Joe Gordon wins AL MVP June 2, 1942 - Red Sox star Ted Williams enlists as a Navy aviator September 28, 1941 - Ted Williams ended the baseball season with .406 batting avg May 25, 1941 - Ted Williams raises his batting avg over .400 for 1st time in 1941 May 2, 1941 - Ted Williams lowest average (.308) in year he hit over .400 August 24, 1940 - Red Sox left fielder Ted Williams pitches the last 2 innings in a 12-1 loss to Detroit Tigers, Williams allows 3 hits and 1 run April 23, 1939 - Boston Red Sox Ted Williams hits his 1st home run April 20, 1939 - Ted Williams' 1st hit (off of Yankee Red Ruffing) a double October 30, 1918 - Ted Williams, hitter, Red Sox, AL MVP '46, '49; Trip Crown '42, '47 August 30, 1918 - Ted Williams, Baseball's last .400 hitter for the Boston Red Sox
More Notable Events on December 7:
1988 Mikhail Gorbachev cheered by Wall St. crowds upon arrival in New York City
1981 Spain becomes a member of the NATO alliance
1949 Chiang Kai-shek flees to Taiwan
1945 Microwave oven patented
1941 Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, a date that will live in infamy