With nearly 200 photos and essays by the likes of David Halberstam, Stephen Jay Gould, and poet Donald Hall, this tribute to one of baseball"s greatest hitters (some would argue the greatest) is, like the Splendid Splinter himself, in a league of its own. Williams"s life story unfolds in words and pictures, beginning with his childhood in San Diego and ending with his post-baseball love of fly-fishing. (Like hitting a 90-mph fastball, tricking a finicky trout into taking a fly sometimes requires exceptional hand-eye coordination.) Along the way we are treated to Williams"s many accomplishments in the batter"s box, including his six batting titles, two Triple Crowns, and a career average of .344.