Though he would go on to be known as one of the greatest hitters the game has ever known, back at San Diego’s Hoover High, young Ted Williams fancied himself as much a pitcher as he did a hitter. Long and lean, the teenage Williams used baseball as a way to stay out of trouble, avoiding the juvenile delinquency trap that his older brother had fallen into. By the time Williams was 17, his high school record had attracted offers from the Cardinals and Yankees, but his mother wished for him to stay close to home and finish high school. So in 1936, Ted Williams signed with his hometown San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League. The PCL was just one level below the majors, but the teenager hit .271 as a pastime outfielder. After the PCL season ended, Ted packed up his bats and went to finish his senior year at Hoover High. Williams graduated early, in the winter of 1937, and rejoined the Padres for what would be his breakout season. The rest is history, and Hoover High never forgot.

This Hoover High School Lifetime Pass was given to their most famous alumni. Marked with his graduation date of “1937” and his name prominently etched on its surface, it is a unique reminder of Ted’s early years. Measuring 2.5” by 3.5”, the personal pass has a relief sculpture of the Herbert Hoover High School crest and commemorates his “Outstanding Athletic Ability.” The pass comes with an LOA from the Williams family.