Stylish Prose for Williams’ Stylish Exit

Thirty years ago today, Ted Williams, in his final plate appearance in Boston’s Fenway Park, hit a home run in the Red Sox’s 5-4 victory over Baltimore.

Writer John Updike was there. In his nonfiction classic, “Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu,” he wrote:

“The ball climbed on a diagonal line into the vast volume of air over center field. From my angle, behind third base, the ball seemed less an object in flight than the tip of a towering, motionless construct, like the Eiffel Tower or the Tappan Zee Bridge. It was in the books while it was still in the sky.”

Add Williams: Updike wrote: “He ran as he always ran out home runs--hurriedly, unsmiling, head down, as if our praise were a storm of rain to get out of. He didn’t tip his cap. Though we thumped, wept, and chanted ‘We want Ted’ for minutes after he hid in the dugout, he did not come back. . . . The papers said that the other players, and even the umpires on the field, begged him to come out and acknowledge us in some way, but he refused. Gods do not answer letters.”

Last add Williams: The Red Sox had one short road trip remaining in the 1960 season. At the end of his story, Updike wrote:

“On the car radio as I drove home I heard that Williams, his own man to the end, had decided not to accompany the team to New York. He had met the little death that awaits all athletes. He had quit.”

Trivia time: Name the only major league pitcher who wears No. 1.

“O” to go: Orlando Woolridge, traded by the Lakers to the Denver Nuggets in August, was packing Wednesday for his move to Denver.

To Woolridge’s 4-year-old son Zack, the word nuggets means one thing.

Laker publicist John Black reports that Zack is now certain his dad works for McDonald’s.

Strict code of ethics: Wallace Matthews of Newsday asked boxing manager Dennis Rappaport about his relationship with middleweight Thomas Hearns, now a free agent.

Said Rappaport: “I don’t want to tell you any half-truths unless they’re completely accurate.”

Good ball: It took Kelly Murray, 33, a Canadian professional golfer, 160 shots to break the record for the world’s longest drive Tuesday at Fairmont Hot Springs, British Columbia (elevation: 3,000 feet).

Murray’s drive of 684.8 yards, witnessed by reporters, television crews and golf officials, beat the previous record of 634.1, set by Ireland’s Liam Higgins in Dublin in 1984. Murray used a 46-inch driver with a boron triple-X shaft, persimmon head and 14 layers of tape under its grip.

For those interested, it will be difficult to book a tee time at the site of Murray’s record blast--a remote airport runway.

Eyes on the prize: When Oakland Athletic outfielder Rickey Henderson came to bat against Kansas City in the eighth inning Tuesday night, the A’s led 4-0 with one out and a runner at second.

Royal Manager John Wathan ordered pitcher Kevin Appier to walk Henderson. On his way to first, Henderson, who was three for three at the time and is chasing George Brett for the American League batting title, yelled into the Royals’ dugout. He continued to berate Wathan as Walt Weiss batted.

Later, Henderson said: “If I’m going to make an out, that’s OK, but let me make my own outs. George probably didn’t like it, either.”

Add Henderson: Said Wathan: “(Henderson is) a .400 hitter against us this year, .500 against Appier. Who would you rather face, Henderson or Weiss? Let him think what he wants to. It was still 4-0 at that point. We’re trying to win a ballgame.”

Said A’s Manager Tony La Russa: “(Henderson) reacted emotionally. Strategically, it was the best thing (for Wathan) to do. . . . I don’t think he walked him for the batting crown.”

Trivia answer: Matt Young of Seattle, who gave Ken Griffey Sr. his No. 30 when Griffey joined the Mariners.

Quotebook: Bill Robinson, ESPN commentator, on the New York Yankees: “The Yankees are just four players away from contention. And the four players are named Mickey, Babe, Lou and Yogi.”