The Ted Williams Collection to be Sold at Fenway

The sports hobby is abuzz with some amazing auction either already underway or about to take place in the next few weeks. One such auction is The Ted Williams Collection, being conducted by Hunt Auctions, which will conclude April 28 at Fenway Park in Boston. You can also preview the items at Fenway Park April 25-27.

Sure, a lot of these pieces are out of the ordinary person's price range, but just to see what Williams had and kept from his remarkable life is a treat itself. Of the nearly 800 lots, all but 35 will come with a letter of provenance from Claudia Williams, Ted's daughter, confirming the fact they are from Ted Williams' personal collection.

Bidding for this amazing auction is underway online at www.huntauctions.com, with the sale concluding at the dates above at Fenway. Here is the breakdown of the sale:

Session I
Lots 1-31 Contemporary pieces including autographed materials.
Lots 32-59 Early career and Red Sox related.
Lots 60-84 Military related.
Lots 85-115 Presidential related.
Lots 116-133 Ted Williams autographed personal checks.
Lots 134-214 Ted Williams personal coin collection.
Lots 215-248 Miscellaneous sports materials including autographed materials.
Lots 249-299 Contemporary pieces including autographed materials.
Lots 300-335 Elite Third Party Consignments: Selection of historical Boston baseball related materials.

Session II
Lots 336-385 Contemporary pieces including autographed materials.
Lot 386 Ted Williams personal Babe Ruth autographed baseball.
Lots 387-431 Ted Williams Jewelry, Personal Items, and Presentational Awards.
Lots 432-473 Hunting and sporting related including Ted Williams personal firearms collection.
Lots 474-548 Fishing related materials.
Lots 549-596 Contemporary pieces including autographed materials.
Lots 597-604 Significant awards and Boston Red Sox materials.
Lots 605-611 Ted Williams Garments and apparel.
Lots 612-630 Artwork, furniture, and antiquities.
Lots 631-637 Washington Senators related.
Lots 638-668 Collectibles, vintage souvenir items, vintage trading cards, and books including autographed examples.
Lots 669-700 Awards, post career presentational items and uniforms.
Lots 701-716 Paper materials including documents, General ephemera, Ted Williams personal scrapbooks.
Lots 717-740 Ted Williams personal collection of vintage photography.
Lots 741-793 Contemporary pieces including autographed materials. **Includes large quantity groupings.

As you know, Williams was so much more than simply a baseball player, which is why his collection is so unique. There are military artifacts, presidential connections and outdoors-related material that branches far from his days on the diamond.

I love the personally-inscribed balls and photos from some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment and politics. The "To My Pal Ted Williams From Babe Ruth" might be one of the coolest signed balls ever.

The championship rings are nice, but the Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Award is quite the piece. The awards back then were larger than life, and so will the prices for these pieces when they sell.

If that's not up your alley, you can bid on his hunting artifacts, from turkey mounts to duck decoys and hunting rifles. There are fishing lures, his fly fishing fly-tying desk, highway commemorative signs, clothing, dinnerware. You name it.

If you are a Williams fan, this is your chance to buy something no one else has (social security card?). It will be fun to see what items like his Silver Slugger bring, along with his personal fishing tackle box.

Browse now and bid accordingly.