Ted Williams Blooper? Not the Williams I've Heard About ...

The video below is labeled at YouTube as a Ted Williams "blooper." It's a 30-second commercial gone awry. There's some language, not safe for work viewing. But the language is kind of the point. After watching, read how Ted's portrayed in Ball Four.

This is from Bouton's June 25 entry:

In the bullpen tonight Jim Pagliaroni was telling us how Ted Williams, when he was still playing, would psyche himself up for a game during batting practice, usually early practice before the fans or reporters got there.

He'd go into the cage, wave his bat at the pitcher and start screaming at the top of his voice, "My name is Ted fucking Williams and I'm the greatest hitter in baseball."

He'd swing and hit a line drive.

"Jesus H. Christ Himself couldn't get me out."

And he'd hit another.

Then he'd say, "Here comes Jim Bunning. Jim fucking Bunning and that little shit slider of his."

Wham!

"He doesn't really think he's gonna get me out with that shit."

Blam!

"I'm Ted fucking Williams."

Sock!

That botched commercial doesn't sound like a blooper to me. Just Ted being Ted. It didn't make him a bad person.