Hero Project
Martin O'Connell
Introduction
Mom and Dad
Ted Williams
Northern Trust
What is a Hero?
Webster’s Dictionary defines a hero as “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” While this may be what some people think this is what a hero must be, it's actually much more basic than that. A hero is somebody who inspires people to do what is right.
A hero is somebody who puts someone else's life ahead of their own. Imagine a fireman running into a burning house to save a helpless child. Consider the great danger he is putting himself in for the benefit of the child. Is it worth it for this man to risk his life to save another. This is what really makes him a hero. He does an altruistic deed and will be looked up to. Anyone who would sacrifice his or her life for someone else is a hero.
A hero is somebody who gives their time and money to help others. Bill Gates has his own charity and spends billions of dollars helping others in need. He doesn't have to do this, yet he still decides to use his time and funds to help the less fortunate. While it may be good for press, he is still doing what he can and doing the right thing and should be looked up to for it. Bill Gates is a hero because he makes sacrifices to help anyone who needs it and asks for it. He inspires us all to do what is right and give to others.
As one can see, the fireman and Bill Gates, though different, are true heroes. Anyone who inspires others to do good is a hero--on a small scale and a large scale. While many people can help others, only the people who inspire us to do the same are true heroes. Think about how you can be a hero in your life. Inspire others to do good, and everyone will think of you as a hero. After all, everyone's hero is different.
The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived
We all have our own idea of what a hero is. A hero to me is somebody who inspires people to do what is right. My hero is Ted Williams. He is a Boston Red Sox baseball legend and he served in two wars! Ted Williams is a hero because he inspires me to work hard and play baseball like the best.
Ted Williams inspires me to work hard and achieve my dreams. I want to be a baseball player when I grow up, and Ted Williams shows me that if I work hard for my goal, I will achieve it. He has the fifth best batting average (hits per at-bat) of all time. “Williams was known for high batting averages, and his name was cemented i[n] baseball history in 1941 (Washburn).” Williams hit .406 in 1941, the last player to hit .400 or better. The next highest since was Tony Gwynn, who wrote a whole book called The Art of Hitting (though, to be fair, Ted Williams wrote his own book, The Science of Hitting). He hit .394 in 1994. Although Williams was known for turning away journalists and media, this actually adds to his character because he cares about the integrity of the game and not petty stories. This inspires
Ted Williams was truly the greatest hitter who ever lived. That was all he ever wanted: “All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, ‘There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived.’” Williams said that about his baseball aspirations. He played great baseball for 19 years, despite fighting in two wars (WWII and Korea) in the middle. As a result of the longevity of his career and his great skill, Ted set a record as the oldest player to win the batting title in 1957. Then he topped his own record the next year. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY in 1966. Later, in 1999, he was chosen for the 30 man, All 20th-Century Team.
Comparing my dad to Ted Williams is no easy task. My dad has never been famous or legendary, and probably not the greatest ever at anything. But he is my motivator and the one who provides for me. While Ted Williams is my mental and spiritual role model, my father is a very real and present inspiration and driving force in my success in athletics and education. Ted Williams is a symbol for the best game I have ever gotten to play, and the bond that I share with my father is irreplaceable.
If I got a chance to meet Ted Williams when he was still alive, I would talk to him about experiences on the great stage. I would ask him for stories of intense games and even more intense war. It would be a loaded conversation, and I would value it greatly. If I could get any advice from Ted, it would be about hitting. I know he wrote a book, but advice from coach to player is beyond anything you could read in a book. Anything he could give me is invaluable. If my dad met Ted Williams, he would probably be more excited than I would. He is a lifelong Red Sox fan, another reason he is a hero to me. He is the reason I love Boston sports (and I REALLY love Boston sports), and has taught me a lot about the game. Knowing Ted Williams would be invaluable. To sum up the legacy of the great Ted Williams, I cite this quote from John Updike (New York Times): “To those of us who saw him at the plate, he seemed the concentrated essence of baseball: a tall, long-necked man wringing the bat handle and snapping the slender implement of Kentucky ash back and forth, back and forth, in his impatience to hit the ball, to win the battle of wits and eye-hand coordination that, inning after inning, pits the solitary batter against the nine opposing men on the field.”