Considered by many the greatest hitter of all-time, Ted Williams presents an interesting case to be considered the greatest athlete in Boston history. Williams is the last MLB player to hit .400 in a single season (.406) and holds the highest career batting average of any player with 500 or more home runs (.344).

Williams served in the military during World War II and those four years of absence from the game are likely the greatest aberration in the history of sports. Williams still put up all-time great numbers despite his time spent in the military. He hit 521 home runs and knocked in 1,839 runs.

There are a few things that hold Williams back. He was not the most popular athlete at the time because of his disdain for the media. He also never won a World Series championship. Granted, the Red Sox as an organization waited 86 years between 1918 and 2004 to win a World Series. Can you really fault Williams for their inability to field a championship team?

The lack of a ring is definitely the biggest road block for Williams. He's still arguably the greatest hitter ever though and retrospectively is a hero in Boston. In 1999, when the All-Star game was held in Boston, Williams was honored in one of the greatest pre-game ceremonies of all-time.

Williams died in 2002, but the legend lives on. Whether you know him as "The Kid", "Teddy Ballgame" or "The Splendid Splinter", Ted Williams should be considered the greatest player in Boston Red Sox history.