DALLAS — The 1966 Baseball Hall of Fame induction ring presented to Ted Williams brought in $444,000 to lead Heritage Auctions’ May 11-13 Spring Sports Catalog auction. There is no doubting the uncommon courage of Ted Williams. His service as a fighter pilot in two wars proves the point alone, and who could forget his refusal to sit out the otherwise meaningless season-ending doubleheader of 1941 to ensure his .400 batting average would be preserved? That courage again was evident again on the dais at Cooperstown, July 25, 1966 — a temporal midpoint between the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King Jr in 1968. In a speech that lasted fewer than three minutes from the first word to the last, Williams found the time to voice his support for the Baseball Hall of Fame to open its doors to Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and the other elites of the Negro Leagues who “were not given a chance.” A quarter-century later, Williams told interviewer Bob Costas that his early advocacy for those men ranked among his proudest moments in baseball.

While any ring or plaque from a Hall of Fame induction will necessarily elicit a consideration of the athletic talent that merited the honor, Williams’ renown as “the greatest hitter that ever lived” makes a discussion of the topic seem silly when directed toward an audience educated in baseball history. This is unquestionably one of the most well-merited Hall of Fame rings issued in any sport, and, for that reason, one of the most important.

Prices quoted with buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house. For information, 214-528-3500 or www.ha.com.