Maine

38 Letters From Red Sox Legend Ted Williams Up for Auction

The 38 letters will be sold as separate lots and are expected to go for thousands of dollars each

A Red Sox legend known for his hitting is now getting attention for his writing. An auction house in Biddeford, Maine, has obtained 38 letters from Ted Williams to his mistress, Evelyn Turner, written during his time serving in the Korean War.

"They're fantastic because they're one-of-a-kind," said auction manager Troy Thibodeau. "Every day, he wrote a new piece of history — and we have them."

Williams played for the Red Sox from 1939 to 1960, and is considered one of the best baseball players in history.

A softer, secret side of the sports hero is revealed in his personal letters to Turner. Some of them detail their scandalous affair. Others are emotional, as he discusses his father's death. In one letter, expected to be sold for $10,000, Williams writes about a near-death experience during the war.

"His plane was shot down, and all out of control," said Thibodeau. "It was on fire, skidded 5,800 feet across the runway, and he bailed out of the plane moments before it exploded. He only ended up with a twisted ankle."

The 38 letters will be sold as separate lots and are expected to go for thousands of dollars each. Thibodeau said so far, more than 6,000 people have signed up to take part in the auction on Jan. 3. 

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