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Williams gets place in own museum
By KRISTEN LEIGH PORTER The Splendid Splinter finally will get a place in his own Hitters Hall of Fame. The late Boston Red Sox great will be inducted along with four other baseball legends Feb. 16 at the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame. Executive director David McCarthy said Williams' induction is part of this year's ceremonies. "We're putting Ted himself in, which he never did, never counted himself amongst the top 20 and wouldn't hear of it," McCarthy said. "Now we're going to put him in and he'll take his rightful place with the greatest hitters in his own Hitters Hall of Fame," McCarthy said. Also being inducted is career hits leader Pete Rose, who had 4,256. "For a long time, people have come to this museum and many of them have said, 'Why isn't Pete Rose in here?' " McCarthy said. "You know what? They're right, and we're going to put him in and we're very happy about it." Although ineligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame after being banned from the game for gambling, Rose has met with commissioner Bud Selig to negotiate his return. McCarthy said he has seen firsthand the support for "Charlie Hustle." McCarthy was with Williams' youngest daughter, Claudia, for Game 4 of the World Series in San Francisco. The "Top 10 Most Memorable Moments" were announced and Williams, who hit 521 home runs and .344 lifetime, had made the list at No. 7 for being the last player to bat .400. When Rose was introduced with the No. 6 moment for breaking Ty Cobb's hits record, McCarthy said the ceremony was interrupted by people standing and clapping and yelling "Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame." "It's overwhelming that they believe Pete belongs in the Hall of Fame and the Hitters Hall of Fame," McCarthy said. Rose has a schedule conflict but is trying to make arrangements to attend the ceremony, McCarthy said. If not, McCarthy said, the Hall might hold a special day for him later. The other inductees also have impressive credentials, and two are former Red Sox players. Wade Boggs, who spent his last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, racked up 3,010 hits and batted .328. Also getting the nod is former Red Sox centerfielder Dom DiMaggio, who had 1,680 hits and a .298 average. He is the brother of Joe DiMaggio, a 1995 inductee. Also among the Class of 2003 is San Diego Padres star Tony Gwynn, who had 3,141 hits and a .338 career average. This year's ceremonies also will focus on the military aspect of Williams' life. This will come in the form of the inaugural Ted Williams Military Achievement Award and recognition award for all ex-major leaguers who served in the military. "A big part of Ted's life was the Marine Corps and the military," McCarthy said. "So we're going to have several high-ranking officials who were close friends of Ted's who had very distinguished careers come." Tickets for the induction ceremony are $35. For information or to order tickets, call (352) 527-6566 or e-mail twm@tedwilliamsmuseum.com. HITTERS HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONWHEN/WHERE: Feb. 16 in Hernando. CLASS OF 2003: Wade Boggs, Dom DiMaggio, Tony Gwynn, Pete Rose, Ted Williams. SPLENDID SPLINTER WINNERS: National League -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants. American League -- Jim Thome, Cleveland Indians. Recently signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent. ROOKIES OF THE YEAR: National League -- Austin Kearns, Cincinnati Reds. American League -- Eric Hinske, Toronto Blue Jays.
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