Polo Grounds during World Series Game, 1913 from the Bain Collection by David Shapinsky from Washington, D.C.

Growing up I was a fan of Ted Williams. He was quite a batter. When he was approaching 40 years of age he began closing out his career with the Boston Red Sox. At that time he was suffering a pinched nerve in his neck.

“The thing was so bad that I could hardly turn my neck to look at the pitcher,” he reported. That year he batted under .300 for the first time in his career. In 1959 he batted just .254, his lowest batting average, but he was still making $125,000.00. Well, that was a lot in 1959.

The following year the Red Sox sent the same contract to sign. “When I got it,” he said, “I sent it back with a note. I told them I wouldn’t sign it until they gave the full pay cut allowed which was 25%. I never had any problem with them about money when I was playing good ball. Now they were offering me a contract I didn’t deserve. And I only wanted what I deserved.”

The result of that note was that Ted Williams reduced his salary by more than $31,000.00!” How many ball players would do that today? Baseball, football or basketball. I would be kinda refreshing to see.

What does that have to do with the Founding Fathers you ask? George Washington said: “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”